FEAR
by Truth in the Moon
Summary: When Edward, the son of billionaire Carlisle Cullen, is kidnapped by terrorists, it's Agent Bella Swan's job to go and rescue him and destroy the culprits. Little does she know that this is one mission she might not be able to handle. AU/AH Lemons to come
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Okay. I've never written an 'M' rated story before but because of where I want to take this, I think it's appropriate. Please tell me how I'm doing and I hope you like this story. I just saw the movie Taken, and that inspired this new story.

Disclaimer: This stands for all chapters in this story as I usually forget to put one in. I do not own Twilight. It all belongs to Stephanie Meyer. I just want to claim the plot line.

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We are the world's most dangerous weapon. We were created to restore order and maintain a balance. The government's greatest achievement. Until we became too dangerous to be allowed to live.

A secret underground society designed to protect what is right and kill what is necessary. We complete every mission; save everyone needed to be saved and destroy anyone who crosses us.

The Fugitive Elimination and Aggravation Resistance was created by the Federal Government to rescue powerful political figures and bring down secret organizations. We were lethal. A decade ago, the President sent a document which demanded that we be hunted down and eliminated. Every agent, at home and abroad was silenced. All of them, except one. She crept into hiding until the orders were carried out and the government was satisfied.

She went underground, scanning the country, looking for promising talent. She comprised a small group and began to teach them everything she knew. We have grown and flourished, becoming the most dangerous women in the world. Oh, yes, we're all women.

We use our superior knowledge to outsmart our enemies. We use our sexuality to get them to trust us in the first place. We work for private clients which provides for a hefty salary.

We only have a few rules:

1. Get in unsuspected.

2. Get out with the target.

3. Never compromise the mission for any reason.

And, we have one unwritten, but extremely important rule that must be obeyed:

Never get too involved.

Our leader learned that the hard way. It never has a happy ending.

My name is Bella Swan and I work for FEAR.

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A/N: Let me know what you think. Please.

-Truth in the Moon.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Here's chapter one. I hope it's alright. I also like how the three reviews I got all began with 'Oh!' It made me smile and laugh at the same time. And, if you are Lauren fans, sorry about this chapter. I just don't like her very much.

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_In other news, the son of multi-billionaire Carlisle Cullen was reported missing. A message was left for the family saying they would only return him if the family paid the 65 billion dollar ransom. A press conference was called this morning where the family and friends of the Cullen heir announced their distress of the abduction of their son._

We were all gathered around the monitors, watching as Carlisle Cullen came into view, rolling the footage recorded.

_We implore you, if you have any information about the whereabouts of our son, Edward, or of the men who took him, we are offering up one hundred thousand dollars to every person who comes forward with anything substantial that could lead to his discovery. _

They showed a wide view of the family. Mr. Cullen had turned away from the podium and embraced his wife, pulling her closer to his chest. The tiny black hair girl was nestled under the arm of her boyfriend and one of the close family friends. Alice Cullen and Jasper Whitlock were always seen together. Alice was one of the world's most prominent fashion designers. Jasper worked for the military, designing new strategies and weapons of warfare. We knew for a fact that the government paid through the nose to get his work.

They next showed a large muscular man with his arms wrapped around a very tall and beautiful blonde. Emmett and Rosalie Cullen just married a matter of months ago. Emmett Cullen was head of one of the most prestigious law firms in the country, known in the Boston area for being able to get any jury to vote his way. His charisma was infectious in public, deadly in the court room. Rosalie Cullen, formerly Rosalie Hale, was one of the world's top supermodels. You had to be living under a rock not to know who she was.

The family was surrounded by photographers, flash bulbs going off everywhere. They showed security hustling the family out, trying to get them out of the camera's view. The clip ended and showed the anchor of the news again.

_It's been reported that the random for the safe return of Edward Cullen has been at sixty-five billion dollars. We do not know what will happen yet, but we do send our regard to the Cullen family._

I turned away from the screen and headed back over to my desk. I slid some papers over to the side and sat down on the corner. My chair was stacked with mounds of documents that I didn't feel like moving. I rested my elbows on my knees and let my head drop into my hands.

I was exhausted, to say the least. I hadn't slept in over forty-eight hours. I had been working with my best friend Angela on trying to break up one of the biggest drug dealings in Chicago. We had managed to get an agent inside only to find that she had been discovered weeks later. I remember that day well.

_**Flashback**_

_Carmen had assigned Angela, Lauren, and I to take down Big Frankie and Dawn chasers, the United States' biggest underground drug trafficking operation. They were responsible for blackmailing the Newton family, one of Chicago's wealthiest families._

_Douglas Newton was the CEO for one of the U.S. largest alternative energy source distribution company. He was the man who came up with the idea to use the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River as alternative energy sources and provide power to millions in Chicago and the surrounding cities. They somehow managed to get their hands on his only son, Michael. They held him hostage in exchange for Newton's help._

_Newton and the Mayor of Chicago were extremely close friends. It became Mr. Newton's job to convince the Mayor to stop the search for Big Frankie and his men. At first, the Mayor refused. When Newton threatened to cut off the energy supply to the city and make it nearly impossible for the city to function, seeing that Newton's company controlled the transportation systems and communication networks for the entire city, the Mayor had no choice but to agree._

_The city was thrown into chaos. Any one of Big Frankie's gang that ended up on trial always walked. Kidnappings were an everyday occurrence, murder rates soared. Hundreds of people began selling drugs. Powerful office positions were being filled by some of the most corrupt men the world had ever seen. _

_When Newton's son was not returned, that's when we got called in. After reviewing our information, we knew the only way to infiltrate their system was to get inside and get close to Big Frankie. We scoured the city, locating every major area that the men were known for hanging out in. Bars, clubs, restaurants; we covered them all. It took a few weeks before we could get Lauren inside. _

_She managed to catch the eye of one of Big Frankie's closest associates, James DiMarco. He claimed her as his girl friend and they began showing up together everywhere. We were thrilled when he claimed that they decided to become intimate. She moved in with him and that brought her closer to their inside ring. Everything was going great until about a month after they were living together. We needed information if we were going to get Newton's son back and soon._

_We waited. We couldn't believe our luck when Big Frankie called a meeting. Normally, Lauren would have had to go along, but Big Frankie demanded that it be kept confidential. As soon as he was out the driveway, she managed to break into his study. After connecting with us, we hacked into his computer files and dug up everything we could. It was a gold mine. We had lists of every man under Big Frankie's control, where he worked, and what he was assigned to do. We tore apart every file until we hit the jackpot. It took several minutes, but we cracked into the bank codes where their money was located. Camera's had been installed inside everyone, insuring their money's safety. We couldn't believe what we saw on the last screen. Curled up in the corner of a vault lay Michael Newton. Bound and gagged, he slept, surrounded by several guards. _

_We were able to get a digital scan of the vault, telling us which bank he was located in. An hour later we had eight agents swooping down on Harris Trust and Savings. We thought we were in the clear. We didn't know how wrong we were. _

_Two days after Michael's rescue, the office was waiting to hear from Lauren. The news that Newton's son had been taken from their custody had caused Big Frankie to take everyone underground, ceasing all contact with the outside. _

_News stations all over the country began broadcasting the plummeting crime rate that had taken place in Chicago in just two days. We waited a week and still received nothing. Assuming no news meant good news, we didn't think much of it. Four days later, it was the only thing we could think about._

_The Mayor was celebrating his fifty-second birthday. The city was alive. The Mayor was dining at one of the best restaurants, surrounded by hundreds of guests. The festivities were cut short._

_Explosions have ways of making that happen._

_Fire trucks and ambulances lined the streets, working feverishly to get the wounded to the hospital. The flaming car in the center of the road held everyone's attention. Once the fire was extinguished, a charred body was pulled from the smoldering wreckage. We had our monitors linked to the live news feed._

_An autopsy would have to be performed in order to find out who the person was, but the tiny silver chip noticeable on the back molar told us exactly who it was. The office was silent as one of our analysts formatted the picture to get an ID on the chip visible in the body's wide open mouth. I couldn't help but feel a small pang of sadness when the screen displayed that it was a one hundred percent match._

_It was scary to see how easily one little mistake can ruin everything._

_**End Flashback**_

After Lauren's death, we compiled enough evidence to have Big Frankie and all of his men sentenced to multiple life imprisonments without parole. The case was open and shut when Emmett Cullen flew in from Boston to take the case. Angela and I had just come back from a secret watch, stationed to make sure Cullen stayed alive.

I looked up when I heard the click of someone's heels on the floor, and looked up in time to see Angela coming towards me. She had circles under her eyes, slightly resembling a raccoon as I'm sure I did. She yawned and gave me a small smile before handing me a small piece of paper. I recognized the flowing handwriting as I read it.

_Bella_

_Come to my office immediately._

_C._

I gave her a small 'Thanks' before heading down the long hallway to the Chief's office. I rapped twice on the door, waiting patiently before being called in.

"Enter."

I slowly opened the door to see my boss, Carmen, sitting behind the desk. She motioned for me to take a seat before looking at me with a firm expression.

"Bella, we have a problem. A few of Big Frankie's men somehow managed to evade capture. We need them to be taken care of. Can you do it?"

I looked at her. I was a little pissed that after all our hard work and Lauren's sacrifice, some of those assholes managed to get away. I let out a slow breath before I spoke.

"What do you need me to do?"

She smiled before standing up and beckoning me closer. I joined her over by the south wall, watching as she slid a picture to the side and open a secret panel using a hand scanner. We stepped back as the wall before us split open, revealing a large screen, keyboard, and gadget drawer. I watched as she pulled up the new assignment. She gave me directions to get to the apartment, and then sent me on my way to get dressed. This was going to be interesting.

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Thoughts? I've never written anything dramatic before.

-Truth in the Moon


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I couldn't help it. I had to write the next one instead of doing projects that I really need to do. Enjoy.

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Carmen stood behind me, lacing up the tight black corset that encased my slender frame. Each pull knocked a little more wind out of me and I slowly started to worry about how I was going to breathe if I had to fight. I felt the tight bodice lifting my breasts a little higher each time she tugged. I actually had to brace myself on the wall when she pulled the last time.

"Holy hell! Carmen, how am I supposed to be able to breathe?" I all but shouted at her. She just sighed and tied the strings into a knot at my waist. She spun me around to face her and smiled.

"Don't worry, Bella. See this slit in the fabric?" she asked pointing to the thin white line trailing down the length of one of the ribs. It looked like all the rest. I nodded while trying to capture my breath. "Pull this white strip and the corset will expand. Do you honestly think I would send you into a room full of men in this type of clothing without being able to breathe?"

"Well, I was beginning to think you were," I mumbled as I slipped out of my work pants. Carmen stepped out to get my holsters while I changed into the small black lacy boy shorts to complete my ensemble. She walked in as I was looking at myself in the mirror.

I ran my hands over my clothes. I was slowly learning how to fill my lungs with oxygen. I took a deep breath before running my hands over the smooth wig on my head. I was a soft honey blonde with big blue eyes tonight. Apparently the men had requested someone to entertain them for the night, and we somehow intercepted the call. A few quick shots and Big Frankie was done for.

Carmen stepped up behind me and held out the special holsters. They were designed to look and act like garter belts with the addition of a gun holster in the back of each leg. We could hide a gun there and, as long as we didn't turn around, no one would know about them. I slipped them on and sat down to roll on the fishnet stockings she handed to me. I clipped them into place before standing up. I groaned when I looked down at my footwear.

You'd think being a secret agent, I'd have a great sense of balance. Sadly, that is not the case. In a fight, I could jump up, kick some guy in the face while disarming another one and land on one foot, but in everyday life, there are times when I can barely walk across a flat surface without almost falling flat on my face. That's the reason why I always opt to wear flats when I'm in the office.

I heard Carmen chuckle at my response before hearing the magazine slide in the gun. I slipped on the four inch black heels, stilettos nonetheless, before turning around to get my weapons. She tossed me a magazine and gun, which I quickly loaded and slid into place. She handed me the other one and I clipped it on. She gave me the once over, making sure that my weapons were concealed when viewed from the front, before nodding. She turned and grabbed my long, black trench coat and helped me slide it on.

"Okay, Bella. This is what you need to do. Go to the apartment. Don't worry about anyone seeing you. The no one lives there except for Frankie's men. Knock on the door, wait for them to answer. Once inside, play up the act. You know what to do. Take it slow; make them let their guard down. Once you have them begging for you, take them out.

"You have four charges in your right front pocket. The detonator is in the left. One goes in the apartment; set three on the ground floor around strategic pressure points. Once you're clear, hit the button, and cover our tracks. Got it?"

I nodded, a smug smile plastered on my face.

Although I was never particularly fond of Lauren, she was still one of our agents and she gave her life to put Frankie behind bars. The least I could do was get rid of the scumbags that escaped justice.

I left the office and headed down the hallway, passing other agents and co-workers; some nodded at me, others whispered good luck. I stepped into the elevator to take me up to the street.

I stepped out into the chilly air, my breath forming little clouds in front of me. I was shivering underneath my coat, my clothes doing nothing to protect me from the chill. I had the address burned into my brain as I turned the corner. I saw the building straight ahead of me and quickened my pace, ignoring the cat calls from the drunken men in the bar across the street. I gritted my teeth when I heard them start calling to me.

"Hey baby. Where are you going? Come over her and I'll show you a good time." My fingers twitched, itching to whip out my automatics and show them not to mess with me. I heard their calls dying away as I moved on, catching their words as they moved on to some other girls.

I ran across the street, managing not to trip in my ridiculous shoes. I walked up the steps and pushed open the door, slipping through it quietly. The elevator was out of order so I headed towards the stairs. Twelve flights up, I heard laughter and smelled cigar smoke coming through the door at the end of the hall. I straightened my coat and made sure my brown hair was tucked up nice and tight underneath my ridiculous wig before knocking on the door. I heard a chair scrape across the floor followed my heavy footsteps.

"It's about time," I heard someone call inside. I leaned against the door frame as the handle turned. The man on the other took one look at me and his jaw dropped. I fought the urge to roll my eyes, before plastering a fake smile on my face and batting my long eyelashes up at him. He opened the door wider and I sauntered in, closing the door behind me. He slowly walked backward to his chair, not once taking his eyes off of me.

By this point, I had ten eyes glued to my body, raking over my appearance and taking in my every move. I looked over every one of them, thinking about the strategy. They all were muscular and not very pleasant to look at. I did know that I must have looked good judging by the tightness I could see bulging in the front of their pants.

I walked a few steps closer, watching as their eyes nearly popped out of their skulls. I reached for the knot on the front of my coat. I almost laughed as two of them stopped breathing.

"Are you sure?" I asked as I played with the loose ends of the strap, pretending to look innocent.

"Oh god yes," I heard one moan.

I slowly untied the knot as they waited with bated breath. My fingers slid up the front, slipping the first button through the hole, torturing them by going slow. I could see their resolve slipping and knew I was doing the right thing. One by one I undid the buttons. They eagerly leaned forward as I slipped the coat off my shoulder, not revealing the corset that was suctioned to my body.

I slowly let the coat fall off my arms and smiled at the audible groan that filled the room. I reached behind my back, not breaking eye contact but not reaching for my guns just yet. But the moment was coming, and I needed to be ready.

"Have you all been bad boys?" They shook their heads vigorously.

"Do you need to be punished?" Once more, they nodded. I ran my hands down over my backside, just stopping short of the handles to my automatics and giving them a great look at my overflowing cleavage. "Are you sure?" They looked about ready to pounce on me. I smiled wickedly.

"Don't worry," I said softly, gripping the handles and sliding them up behind me, my fingers on the triggers. "You're gonna get it."

Pulling them from behind my back, I opened fire. Catching the two closest to me right between the eyes, the rest jumped up, still in shock that I had opened fire. They flipped the table up, throwing it in my direction. I ripped the white strip and the ribs popped out, allowing me to fill my lungs with air.

I dodged right, sliding behind a couch as bullets rained down on me. I heard one running towards me. I looked at the crates sitting at my feet and shoved myself as hard as I could so I could slide back under the cover of the table. I felt the floor burn my skin as I slid past, shooting one in the arm, causing him to drop his gun, and putting a bullet in the heart of another. Two-on-one really was that bad. I've dealt with much worse.

I heard one shuffling to pick up his partner's gun. I looked around the edge, only to pull back in time as a bullet flew by my cheek. I rolled to the other side, catching the wounded one in the back as he scrambled to retrieve another gun.

It was quiet. The only sounds were the two of us breathing, neither or us daring to move. Then I heard it. His boots hit the floor as he ran towards me. I heard him grunt with the effort of his jump and I swung my high-heeled foot up just in time to connect with his face before he could fire. The gun clattered to the floor as he landed. His leg caught me in the cheek, causing me to drop my own weapon. Dazed, I stood up, grabbing him around the neck and flipping him over the table and onto his back.

I bent over and pick up my gun, coming up to see him reach for his comrade's weapon. I jumped the table, kicked him in the gut, and flipped him over with my foot. The fear shone in his eyes as I aimed at his head.

"Please don't kill me. Have mercy," he begged. I had no place for pity.

"Sorry. Mercy's not in my job description."

His attempts to protect himself failed. His body lay lifeless as I pulled off my wig, throwing unceremoniously on top of his body. I picked up my trench coat, slipping on, and pulling out one of the charges and dropping it in the middle of the floor.

I walked out, shutting the door behind me. I tied my coat as I walked calmly down the stairs. I took a quick look around and set the charges as I was ordered to. I slipped out and down the old steps, crossing the street and heading back the way I came. I passed the pub, thanking someone that those ridiculous men were gone. I stopped on the corner, waiting for the WALK signal. Reaching into my pocket, I grabbed the detonator. I hit the button and couldn't help the smug smile that appeared on my face as I heard the charges go off, finishing the job.

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Good? Bad? Let me know please.

-Truth in the Moon


	4. Chapter 4

Voila! Here you go. And, in case you were wondering where Edward was coming in, you'll just have to be patient, but not too patient.

By the way, i meant semi-automatics last chapter, not automatics- brain flub. Sorry!

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The adrenaline was still coursing through my veins as I made the long walk home. The cool air only heightened my senses now; I couldn't even feel the cold. I ignored the pointed stares as I made my way down the alley of the abandoned theatre. I led myself in through the stage door before walking out onto the wooden floor of the stage itself. I tapped my heel twice against the surface before I felt it move. The panel next to me slid open and I stepped onto the glass surface.

I still admired our headquarters. I had been working here for almost three years and it never ceased to amaze me. I was still finding out some of the secrets about this place. We had shuffled a few files around, insuring that this place could not be torn down. It was constantly underway to becoming a historical landmark. It would have happened a long time ago had something not come up that put it under scrutiny once more.

I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair, trying to soothe it from having to wear that ridiculous wig. The floor stopped and the glass doors slid apart. I stepped out, giving a friendly wave to our secretary Maggie, and headed down the hallway to the data room.

I couldn't help but smile as I was greeted with a thundering round of applause. I saw Angela give me a thumbs up and a weak smile before resting her head on her arms. Carmen was standing in the middle of the floor, beckoning me towards her. I walked cautiously down the stairs before holding up my hand. I reached down and pulled off my ridiculous shoes before closing the distance between us.

She enveloped me into a hug, still chuckling about my shoes. She released me and, wrapping an arm around my shoulders, turned me to face the screen. She motioned behind her to one of the girls and a breaking news cast popped up front of us, covering the entire screen.

_Sources say that a gas leak triggered the explosion that happened here. So far, no bodies have been discovered, but police aren't expecting to find any. The force of the blast and the intense heat would have destroyed any trace of evidence. Thankfully, there was no one around the building when the accident occurred. Investigators say they will look for a specific cause, but otherwise, this investigation is open and shut._

"Well done, Bella. That was perfect." The women around us erupted into applause again, some even cheering for me.

I smiled wider, if possible, and cursed the traitorous blush appearing on my cheeks. I was still shy with accepting praise, even if I truly deserved it as I did now.

Carmen held up her hand, requesting silence. After a few moments, it was quiet enough to hear a pin drop. She tightened her grip on my before facing me again, appearing to look very serious but a hint of a smile playing on her lips.

"After your perfect job, it is my honor to appoint you to the title of agent." The crowd exploded into a fit of cheers and screams. "Here you are. You deserve it, Bella."

She held out the long black box. Inside laid a brand-new semi-automatic. I reached out and gently lifted it up out of the box. I turned it over in my hands, my eyes resting on my name engraved on the underside of the barrel. I bit my lip in order to hold in the tears that threatened to spill over.

"Thank you so much, Carmen. This is unbelievable."

She smiled and grabbed me around the shoulder again, leading me up the stairs and down the hallway. We stepped into one of our huge closets so I could remove the now destroyed corset flapping feebly against my skin. I slipped off the coat, hissing as it slid over the raw flesh on my arm and leg. The rush from the fight made me oblivious earlier. I unclipped the garter belts and let them fall to the floor along with my now ripped stockings. I felt Carmen untying the corset, using my hands to hold it up against my body. She stepped out, leaving my clothes behind me on a chair.

I stepped out of the boy shorts and let the ruined corset fall to the ground at my feet. I stepped back into my own undergarments and paused to look myself over in one of the mirrors. I turned sideways to examine the large angry burn running up the right side of my body. I tentatively touched the raw skin, flinching slightly as it stung under my light touch. I fixed my hair before putting on the rest of my clothes and walking out the door. I walked out and back into the data room to talk to one of my closest friends, Angela.

In my field of work, no one can know we exist except for those we work with and the people we work for. My own parents think I'm dead. I was heartbroken when I saw the letter that had been typed up. For all they knew, I had died in a car accident that ended in a large fire that burned any remains that there would have been. All of our clients are sworn to secrecy. They are required to sign a contract that allows us to terminate them if they so much as breathe about our existence. So far we haven't had a problem.

The only sort of friendly relationships we form are ones within our work. Many are only cordial, but some, like Angela and I, are actually very close. We still have to be careful. We are all taught to never trust anybody, even those we work with. No one can be sure who is dirty and who is clean.

I crossed the room and sat myself on the edge of her desk, the jostling motion causing her to look up.

"Hey, Bells. Great job today. Wow, I still can't believe that you're an agent. It seems like that's all you've talked about since you started."

I smiled and ran my hand over the gun clipped at my side. "I know. After all of the small stake-outs and ops that I've run, tonight I finally get a chance to prove myself by taking down the last light of freedom for Frankie. I guess all of my hard work added up and paid off."

"So, tell me, what was it like? I only knew the basics of what you had to do. I've basically been falling asleep at my desk since we got back." She looked up at me, her eyes filled with curiosity.

I launched into my story of what I had done. Just talking about it got my heart pumping again. She seemed to find the bit about the asses hanging outside the bar completely hilarious, as did the rest of the office that had decided to listen in. I felt a small surge of pride as I told them how I had taken down five armed men while wearing a corset. They seemed quite impressed by that fact.

They knew what had happened after I left, as there was now a pile of rubble instead of a building. They listened with rapt attention and were slightly in awe of me now because I had made it seem like it was so easy and I had just been made an agent. They were starting to drift away, leaving Angela and I sitting by ourselves once more.

"Looks like someone became pretty popular. Sure you won't forget me when you become one of the super elite?" she teased, giving me a shove. I wasn't quite prepared so I ended up falling off the desk. She started laughing at my bewildered expression, and it was so infectious that I couldn't help but join in. We managed to catch our breaths when we saw Carmen make her way over to us.

"Sounds like you two are having a good time. Care to share?" she asked, looking curiously at us.

"Oh, it's nothing. I just had one of my usual moments," I said, shrugging it off. Carmen let out a small chuckle.

"Of course, Bella Swan and her usual moments provide entertainment to all."

I laughed a little, my blush coloring my cheeks lightly. "Did you need something, Carmen?"

She smiled. "Yes, actually, I did. Could you please come with me, Bella? I have something important I need to discuss with you. Follow me." She turned and motioned for me to follow her down the hallway. I said goodbye to Angela before walking after Carmen.

We were headed back in the direction of her office. She stopped and opened the door, letting me go first. I went in and sat down at the chair I had occupied earlier. She walked behind her desk and shuffled a few papers around before looking up at me.

"I know this may seem pretty quick, but I would like to present you with your first case." She grabbed a small controller and turned to face the wall, pressing a button so a screen came up. It showed the video from the news cast earlier. We waited for it to end and I felt a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach. I was pretty sure I knew where this was headed and I became excited.

"So, Bella, I've chosen you because I think you're the best we have for this job. I'm quite positive that you knew what I was going to ask when we watched the video, but I just wanted you to see that they are willing to do anything to get their son back. And that's why we've been called in." She motioned for me to look back at the screen and I felt my jaw drop.

On the screen was a picture of the most gorgeous man I had ever seen. His tousled bronze locks, strong features, and a pair of the most stunning green eyes I had ever seen captured my attention. I only turned away when I heard Carmen's chair squeak as she turned to me.

"Bella, I'm sending you to retrieve Edward Cullen."

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A/N: I know it's a short but, I really couldn't help but leave it here. Next chapter you'll find out more about the case and what she has to do. And I plan on starting that very soon!


	5. Chapter 5

Well, it's time to find out about the case. Are you ready? Are you sure? And, I told you I was bringing Edward into the story. I'm sure the wait wasn't too bad, was it? And, I apologize to Jessica or Victoria fans.

* * *

I wasn't quite sure if I felt nervous, excited, or angry at the news. I couldn't believe that this was going to be my first case, rescuing the son of one of the richest men in the world. I was almost shaking in my seat. On the other side, I was over the moon. I had been an agent only for an hour, just coming back from finishing a previous case that someone else was in charge of, and escaping with only a mild burn that, I will admit, stung like hell.

I was sure I was feeling anger but I wasn't exactly sure why. I knew that every woman, even those who weren't agents, wanted this case. The chance to rescue a living -hopefully- Greek god was very slim. I took another sideways glance at his picture, wondering if it really did him justice. That's when I felt it. I was going to have to work double to make sure nothing happened between him and I when I found him. He was only going to make my job harder while he sat there and looked pretty.

Carmen extracted a folder from her pile and handed it over to me. I flipped it open to take a look at a few of the papers inside. She already had my cover set up. I was going in a maid- how original. It took me a little more scanning to actually read what I was being hired for. I wasn't just a maid; basically, I was a call girl for one of the higher members of their group, known only as Luca. A photo followed, depicting a man with olive tone skin, almost like he was Italian, and long black hair. His eyes looked almost black, and cold, never betraying emotion. Just looking at him sent a chill up my spine.

A few paragraphs down, I finally got into more detailed information. I learned that the group that arranged it was called the Volturi. The name rang a bell somewhere in the back of my mind before I remembered why I knew them. They had been responsible for many kidnappings over in Europe. They mainly stayed in Italy, but they took in members from all parts of Europe and western Asia. They favored heavily on Russian, Austrian, and Italian help, but many of their higher ranking members came from Bolivia, France, and Sweden. That suddenly explained why I would be posing as a French woman.

I read the rest of the information, scanning over it quickly before returning my attention to Carmen.

"The only way that you will be able to gain access to Edward is by working for the men in charge of him. The only way to get you in was to offer you to one of the masters. Your first job is to eliminate him and make it look like an accident. I don't care how you do it. Just keep it clean and don't attract attention. We have a woman over in Italy who will help you. Give her the information and she'll do the dirty work. All you have to do is get him into position. But don't rush this. It will give you away." She looked at me sternly. "You know our rules, Bella. You know what happens when you break them."

I gulped. My mind flashed to Victoria. One wrong choice and you're done.

_Flashback_

_The whole data room was in an uproar. Papers were being thrown around, trying desperately to figure out a way to get Jessica out of there. She had her camera still running as she stumbled through the dark, winding hallways. The sound of footsteps grew closer. She was gasping for breath, clutching her ribs where .9mm slug was embedded into her flesh._

_She lunged for the nearest door, flinging it open and throwing herself inside before shutting the door. She scrambled to wedge her body under the bed, making sure the bed ruffle covered her. She waited as the footsteps paused out in the hallway. The door opened and she held her breath, not wanting to give away her position. She knew what happened when you crossed Big Frankie. _

_She racked her brain, trying to think of what she had done wrong to land her in this position. Nothing came to mind. _

_She froze when she saw a pair of feet stop right in front of her eyes. A deep voice muttered something, but it wasn't clear. _

_The entire office was silent. We sat on the edges of our seats, our eyes flashing from the screen to Carmen and back. We prayed that she could come up with a plan, but she was silent, her eyes wide. She took a deep breath and all eyes turned to her._

"_Oh, God."_

_The sounds of Jessica's screams died away as she was dragged down the hallway. Everything was quiet until two shots echoed up the stairs. Several women had tears running down their cheeks. We all knew what we had signed up for when we chose this job, but none of us had ever had to listen to a colleague die._

_Out of nowhere, Kim and Leah came walking brusquely down the hallway, dragging someone with flaming red hair. They threw her to the ground at our feet. We looked to them, confusion present in the room._

_Kim stepped up and kicked her in the gut, forcing her to roll over. Victoria clutched her stomach in pain as Kim began to shout._

"_Are you happy, you bitch?! You just couldn't keep your feelings out of it! Look what you've done! You just let them kill her. You just couldn't let go of some stupid fling that you had years ago, and now we've lost Jessica. I hope you're happy, you fucking whore!"_

_The room was silent as we tried to absorb Kim's words. Leah just stared at her, her eyes livid. Carmen's voice broke through the heavy air._

"_Kim, Leah, take her to H-7," she said before turning her back on her. Victoria screamed, tears streaming down her face. Her cries for forgiveness were cut off by the sound of the door closing. _

_Victoria's face appeared on the screen, but no one listened to her explanation. No one was willing to raise up their voice, to spare her life. All Victoria needed was one hand and she would be saved. The only thing that we could process was that the woman facing us was responsible for killing one of our agents._

_The screen went blank, but we could hear the sounds of the restrains being latched into place and the cocking of a gun before Victoria was silenced._

_End Flashback_

"I know. I would never do anything to jeopardize the mission." She looked at me for a long minute before smiling.

"I know, Bella. That's why I chose you."

She looked down and shuffled a few more papers around before handing me a stack. I shuffled through them, not understanding a word that they said.

"What are these for?"

"Tomorrow, you are going to be meeting with the Cullen family to get everything in order; matter of payment, how much, when, pay to the order of, you get the idea. Once that is settled, you will probe them for any information they might possess that will help you retrieve Edward. Dig deep. If they don't want to tell you something, force it out of them. Nothing extreme, but make sure you get everything. Minute details can be crucial. This will help you."

I nodded, taking in all of her instructions. She didn't say anymore, but stood up. I followed and walked after her, thinking about tomorrow.

_This is going to be interesting._

* * *

A/N: I was tempted to leave it here, but that would be mean and I said I would try to write a longer chapter after the short I gave you last time, so READ ON!!! Here we go, on the way to meet the Cullens. Can you say, 'Hello, Eric'?

* * *

Next Day

I sat in the front seat, staring aimlessly out the window as the rain came down in sheets. I rubbed my eyes to rid them of sleep. I hated the red eye flight, but I was starting to hate the Washington weather more. Everything was green and wet. I missed the craziness of Chicago, which I knew was going to be less crazy now that Frankie was out of the picture.

I couldn't help but smile at my accomplishment last night. I was now an agent on her first case.

I talked with some of the other agents who had been doing this longer than I had. They said that the first case is always the hardest. You always want to become more attached than you should. I thought back to that picture of Edward Cullen and involuntarily shivered. There was something about him that I couldn't quite put my finger on. I sighed and let my mind wander.

I saw the driver's eyes shift to look at me. It was times like this that I was thankful that we wore hats and sunglasses. I was still miffed that we hadn't been able to get a female driver and that I was stuck with this pig for the day.

I shoved my finger in my ear, playing with the volume control of my ear piece. I heard a slight squeal followed by several swear words coming from the office. Emily had talked to me before I left to catch my flight about the annoying comments that she constantly overheard while on duty. Apparently, the best way to shut them up was to fiddle with the volume control of the ear piece and send a loud shrieking squeak throughout the room. It always proved effective and got the point across. After a few seconds of silence, I heard Angela's voice come on the other end.

"Sorry about that, Bella. We just couldn't keep it in. the way that guy keeps looking at you, is really funny." I stole a quick glance sideways just in time to catch him watching me. He turned away, his cheeks reddening from being caught. I moved my hand to my sunglasses, tapping on the side to send a message back in Morse code.

O-H S-H-U-T U-P Y-O-U-R-E N-O-T T-H-E O-N-E S-I-T-T-I-N-G N-E-X-T T-O H-I-M

I heard her laughter on the other end.

"I know, but the way he keeps looking at you; he looks like he's trying to be sexy, but he just looks like he has to go to the bathroom. It's like he wants to eat you."

S-H-U-T U-P A-N-G

I heard more laughter but no one else spoke up. I tilted my wrist so I could look at the screen on my watch. I pressed the button on the side and quickly scanned through the background information on my driver.

**Name: Eric Matthew Yorkie**

**Age: 29**

**Occupation: Chauffeur**

**Hometown: Forks, WA**

**Relationship status: Single**

_Well, that explains a lot._

I took another look to find him staring at me again. I was ready to bet that he was watching me more than the road.

**Family: Mother and Father, both deceased. No siblings.**

**Criminal History: Two parking tickets, one in 2006 and 2008. No arrests. No charges filed.**

I closed out of the screen, bored with the rest of the information. He was clean, nothing to worry about; except for the fact that I was sure he wanted to ask me out. I pressed a few more buttons before a camera view came up. I took in his appearance through the camera planted on the dash board.

Black hair, brown eyes, his nose looked like it had been broken once or twice. He opened his mouth briefly, giving me a chance to see his slightly crooked but white teeth. His face was slightly pock-marked; over-all he wasn't terrible to look at, just mildly creepy to be around.

I shut it down and looked at the road ahead of us. We were on a small two-lane back road, winding through the forest. It wasn't long before we turned on a small dirt road that weaved through a thick patch of tall trees. They gradually began to thin and I realized we were traveling down a driveway. We spent a minute looking for signs of a house when we turned a corner and a big white house loomed out of the gloom.

We parked behind a nice black Mercedes before Eric jumped out and ran around the car to get my door. He stood back and flashed me a poor attempt at a dazzling smile before I thanked him and walked up the stairs. I rang the doorbell and waited.

* * *

A/N: I've never written a chapter that long before. Next chapter, Bella gets the scoop on Edward and the Cullens.

Please let me know how it is.

-Truth in the Moon


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Fair warning, this might be kind of short considering I'm getting antsy about getting her on the case, but I just don't have a lot of time to write right now. Being in theatre and going through stage management training while stage managing my first show and having to decorate a birthday cake and two sheet cakes and researching for my paper on the Holocaust and finding a job, you can probably see that life is kicking my butt right now. I haven't written on my other story in a while, either. That reminds me, I should probably get on that.

Anyway, that's enough babbling. Sorry. You may read now. And please review. It makes me so happy to hear your thoughts and opinions.

* * *

I stood on the porch waiting for only a few seconds before the door opened, revealing two very familiar faces, albeit sadder than they usually looked. Esme and Carlisle Cullen stood before me, hands locked together, fingers entwined. They looked up at me with tormented eyes.

"Can we help you?" Carlisle asked. I pulled off my sunglasses before looking around, making sure Eric was still at a safe distance behind me.

"I believe that I am here to help you."

He looked at me curiously before his eyes grew wide, ablaze with a crazed fire we had seen many times. Upon hearing that, I knew he began to feel that flame of hope. He pulled his wife into his side before quickly ushering me into the house, gazing behind me to make sure my driver wasn't following.

I stepped inside and he quickly shut the door. I heard movement off to the right and looked to find tiny Alice Cullen staring at me with narrowed eyes. I stepped to the side as Carlisle waved her over. Pulling her and his wife closer, his whispered something in their ears. They nodded, eyes wide, and began bustling around the room, pulling down the blinds and drawing the curtains.

Carlisle stood at the bottom of the stairs. "Follow me, please."

I nodded and walked up slowly after him. I followed him down a long hallway, stopping before a closed door. He opened it and stood aside to let me enter the dark room. He stepped in and flipped the switch, bathing the room in a soft yellow glow.

It was an enormous study with a large mahogany desk in the center, stacked high with papers. He walked quickly behind it, gesturing for me to take the seat opposite him. I sat, taking off my hat and setting it on the ground next to me.

I looked back at him to see him studying me pensively. I raised my eyebrows questioningly.

"I'm sorry," he said, breaking his eye contact. "I'm just trying to read you."

"Read me? What do you mean?"

His brow furrowed as he contemplated his answer. "My son, Edward, has this strange knack for being able to read people, to get information about them. I've watched him do it before, trying to pick up on the things he notices. Like you, for example. You give off an aura of confidence and authority, but you're still unsure of how to use it. You want to appear forceful but are truly shy and quiet outside of the job. You're afraid that people won't take you seriously or take advantage of you, but, and I hope you don't mind me saying this, you could probably kick their ass in a fight, easily sending them to the hospital." He took a deep breath. "Am I close?"

I was pretty sure that my brain just stopped working. I had only met this man a few minutes ago and he already had me pegged. His perceptiveness scared me. I steeled my nerves and put on a small smile.

"Well, I'll give you credit on the last part, considering I have already done that and then some. For now, let's get down to business." I stared at him, watching the pain flicker in his eyes. I could already see how difficult this was going to be for him. "Look, Mr. Cullen, I-"

"Please, call me Carlisle, Miss…"

"Bella. Bella Swan. Carlisle, I know how difficult this must be for you, but I cannot help your son unless you help me first."

He looked at me, his eyes brimming with tears. "Do you, Bella? Do you really know how hard this is on my family? How can you possibly know what it's like to lose something like that?" His voice was close to becoming hysterical.

"Actually, I do. In my line of work, everyone I once knew now thinks that I am dead. I had to eliminate every connection I had to someone on the outside so I could never be blackmailed. Outside of this house and my office, I do not exist." I kept my head up and looked him straight in the eye. I watched as his face became a mask of shock and remorse.

"I am terribly sorry, Bella. I had no idea."

I waved him off, not allowing myself to linger on it. "It's no matter. What's done is done. Unfortunately, we cannot say the same about our meeting here today."

"Oh, yes. Of course. I got some things together for you to have that might be helpful, although you probably have all of this and then some." He handed me a thin yellow envelope which I quickly rifled through. There were a few more photos of him in here, along with bits of his personal belongings that he left behind.

"Thank you. This will help immensely. But, I need you to answer a few questions for me. Is there anything that you think can help me identify your son, just as a precaution so I know him once I find him?"

"Well," he began, "I doubt that anyone could duplicate his eye color, even with contacts, but he has a scar running up his elbow from an ATV accident several years ago. Though you probably won't be able to see it, he has a birthmark on his lower abdominal muscles. It sits, I believe, just above the waistband of his pants. It looks somewhat like the state of Florida. Does that help?"

I nodded. "That's great. It will help a lot. Are there any nicknames that he has or special names that he would respond to?"

Carlisle scratched his chin, thinking. "I know that he hates being called by some other form of Edward, like Ed or Eddie. He loves playing the piano and, when he was younger, he used to play for my wife Esme all the time. She called him her little Debussy. Clair de Lune was one of their favorites."

"Good. Do you know anything else that might help? Anything you can tell me will only make my job easier."

Carlisle opened his mouth to respond when there was a soft knock on the door behind me. I instantly grabbed my hat and shades, pulling them on quickly as I motioned for Carlisle to bring them in.

"Come in."

The door opened quietly and Alice poked her head around the corner. Carlisle waved her in and told her to shut the door. She did so and walked silently across the room to sit in the seat next to me, facing me.

"I don't know who you are, but I know that you are going to get my brother back. I'm sure that you have a lot of information and that my father probably gave you even more, but I want you to take this."

She fiddled with something around her wrist before holding out to me. I reached out my hand and she dropped it into my palm. I picked it up and began examining the delicate silver charm bracelet.

"Edward gave it to me for my 18th birthday as a going away present. He had it specially made for me so it's the only one of its kind. There are inscriptions on the back of the music notes. If he sees it, he'll know that we've sent you. Take it with you. I hope it helps." I nodded, showing her I understood. She stood on shaky legs and began to walk towards the door. However, she quickly flipped back around, flinging her arms around my neck. I could feel her tears on my face.

"Please, I am begging you. Bring my brother home." I was slightly shocked and gave her an awkward pat on the back. She let go and almost ran out the door.

I faced Carlisle once more. He gave me a long, searching look before standing up. I stood as well, reaching to shake his out-stretched hand.

"Thank you for your help, Carlisle. I'll be on this as soon as possible." I turned to go. My hand was on the knob when I heard him call my name.

"Bella…Thank you. You're doing so much for us; I can't even imagine how I'm to repay you."

I shook my head. "Don't worry about it. It's my job and I'm happy to do it."

"Just… please. Bring my son back to me."

I couldn't tear my eyes away from his face, the tears silently streaming down his cheeks. A pang of sadness shot through my heart at the sight.

"I will, Carlisle. I promise."

* * *

A/N: I know it's short. Please forgive me. But, tell me what you think, please? Maybe tell others about it? You will be awesome if you do and you will receive lots of author love!!!!

-Truth in the Moon


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Okay, so I've had several requests that I make the chapters longer. I will try but I can't guarantee anything. I'm busy enough as is, so that means it will probably be even longer between updates since I would have to write two chapters and put them together or something. But, if I do this for you, will you please do something for me in return? I really like hearing from you readers. It makes me feel good to see that you like my work or have suggestions for me. It all helps me become a better writer. Please?

Okay, that's enough begging. My attempt at a longer chapter for you who asked. By the way, there's a surprise in here for you…

* * *

I slowly made my way down the stairs, berating myself for making such a ridiculous promise. I had no way of knowing that I was going to bring the Cullen's son home again. We weren't even sure he was still alive.

_I hope for the sake of his family he is._

I heard the creak of the floor boards above. I could picture Carlisle pacing back and forth in his study, fraught with anxiety, sadness, and fear. A fresh wave of guilt washed over me. I had unintentionally given him a false hope that he would see his son again. I sighed and stopped at the bottom of the stairs. I hesitated, not sure if I was supposed to leave or not.

I almost smacked myself for forgetting to talk about payment. I knew that Carmen had drawn something up, but it was my job to get it confirmed. I knew it would insensitive to go back up and try to discuss this with Carlisle. Thankfully, Emmett Cullen walked through the door leading to the kitchen. He stopped to look me over before beckoning me to follow him. I did, allowing him to lead me into the dining room.

He offered me a seat at the kitchen table which I took. He sat across from me, setting a rather large leather briefcase on the table before him. He quickly opened it and began shuffling papers around before looking at me.

"You're probably curious as to why I brought you in here. I told my father I would make it easier on him by talking to you about the money situation. He gave me everything your boss sent and I've looked it all over." He slid an envelope across the table. I opened it and pulled out the papers inside. I tried to hide my surprise at the amount written on the contract.

He seemed to notice my shock and decided to explain. "Our family is willing to do anything to get my brother back and money is no object. That's why my father decided to triple the offer and he won't allow you to lower even if you wanted to." He motioned for me to look further down the page. "As you can see, he's also offered to pay you the same amount if you manage to bring my brother home."

I couldn't help but stare in disbelief. I knew that we required large sums for our work, seeing as we are always putting ourselves in danger. But, when Carmen said she initially wrote the deal for 1.5 million dollars- because of how dangerous the situation is- I thought that was a large amount. But, know that they were offering me 4.5 million up front, plus another 4.5 million if I managed to bring Edward home, I felt a smaller version of me inside my mind faint. Nine million dollars just isn't what someone in my line of work makes for one case.

I composed myself before sliding it back in the envelope and giving it back. He took it and tucked it back in his briefcase, snapping it shut.

"As you probably know, my profession strongly disagrees with these types of dealings, going outside of the government." I nodded. We dealt with this kind of stuff before, but we always earned their trust, and silence. "I do, however, know how good you are. Your 'people' are the only reason that I'm alive right now."

I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Yes, I know that you all had something to do with my safe travel for that case, and that you are the one's responsible for bringing me that case and keeping me safe. By the way, my wife thanks you." He smiled at me, bringing some life back into his eyes. I returned it.

"We won't tell anyone about you. Our whole family has agreed to it. We've already sent the contracts back, signatures from every family member on it. I'm sure you're probably tired of hearing this, but we are placing everything on you. We just want him back."

He stopped to smile at me again. "I just want to apologize in advance though. My brother can be quite a prick, fair warning. It's a shame a pretty girl like you has to go after him." He laughed slightly. "Be careful, Miss Swan. Edward likes beautiful women."

"What man doesn't?" I joked, smiling back.

"That's true. That's very true."

He stood up and so did I. He let me lead the way out of the dining room back to the front door. I looked out the window to see Eric leaning against the car, looking bored. I almost groaned, remembering that I was going to be spending another hour with him. I heard Emmett snicker behind me. It did strike me as odd that he would be so joking and casual with his brother in extreme danger, but then I remembered that was something he did often, even during a trial. He was known for keeping the mood light and bearable for everyone. He must have noticed my discomfort at being in his family's house and about my driver.

I had to admit; it helped a lot. I took one last look around the room, watching the family as they watched me. Emmett leaned against the door frame, watching Alice and Esme on the couch. The two women looked at me and I slipped my hand into my pocket, feeling Alice's bracelet against my fingers. I nodded and took my leave.

Eric's head snapped up at the sound of the door closing. He hurried around to my side of the car, holding open the door as I stepped inside.

He didn't say anything for the first five minutes, but my luck ran out.

"So, Miss Swan, right? Do you live around here?"

I sighed and braced myself. It was going to take a lot for me to keep my cool and put up with his advances for the next hour or so. I prayed that there was no traffic today in Seattle.

"No, I don't. I live in Chicago."

_Keep it short and sweet, Bella. Short and sweet._

"Oh." He stayed quiet for a few seconds before continuing. "Well, do you have any family around here?"

_Lie, Bella. Just one little lie._

"Um, no. Not that I know of, at any rate."

"Really? I come from Forks and the police chief's name is Charlie Swan. I thought you might know him."

I felt my heart twist at those words. Figures he would know my father.

He continued on, not noticing how hard it was for me to listen to him. "Yeah, I heard he had a daughter, but she stayed with her mom after she left him. Says she died in a car accident a few years ago."

Man, this guy really knows how to pull on the heart strings. I racked my brain, trying to come up with ways to get him to shut his mouth. I tuned him out, focusing my attention on the passing scenery.

"So, I was wondering, since your flight doesn't leave until eight tonight, maybe you'd like to have dinner with me?" I only began registering what he was saying when I heard 'dinner'. I had to nip that in the bud and fast.

"Eric," his face beamed when he heard me say his name, "I don't think so. I'm very tired and I've had a long day. I'd really just like to go to my hotel room, if you don't mind."

His face fell and I breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, he let the conversation go after that. I thanked my stars that the highway was almost deserted so we made it back to Seattle in record time. I tipped him well before rushing inside the hotel and tripping on a luggage rack. Lucky for me, a bell hop was standing next to it and managed to catch me before I hit the polished marble floor. I muttered a quiet thank you before making my way to the nearest elevator and jabbing the button to take me to my room.

I fumbled with the key card but got it to work and I let myself in. I kicked off my heels and threw my hat and shades on the chair next to my bed. I flopped onto the bed, laying my arm across my eyes.

I didn't think it would be so draining talking to the family, but it only made it harder. I didn't even want to think about what would happen if I couldn't get Edward back to them. I closed my eyes and allowed my thoughts to drift towards that bronze haired god that was going to make this assignment a living hell-or heaven, depending on how you looked at it.

* * *

Edward POV

I hated it when they left me in the dark for so long. It always burned my eyes when they opened the door and let the light. Candle light only lasts for so long. Plus, you have to use it sparingly since they only give me a little nub every three days and I need it to be able to eat. Although, I didn't even see the point in that. The bread and cheese I got could hardly constitute as a meal.

I never complained though. I learned that the hard way. You can only take so many kicks to the stomach in one sitting, or kneeling, in my case. I nibbled on the cheese, letting it slide down my dry throat. I leaned against the stone wall, letting my head rest against the cool, wet surface. I moved the old blanket I sat on so I could rest my raw wrists and legs against it. It soothed the raw flesh there and made the pain almost bearable.

After my first beating, I thought there could be no one worse than Gavriil. That was until I met Vladislav. They really know how to build them in Russia. I could have sworn that Vladislav was bigger than my brother, Emmett.

After a few days of beatings, I guess they thought that I had acclimated to the pain, and began with the whippings. Believe me, there's nothing like the feeling of having your flesh split open and being ripped from the bone. Then, when they combined the beatings and the whippings into a simultaneous torture, I was ecstatic when they decided to not do it every day.

My fingertips were sore from grinding them against the floor, doing my damnedest not to cry out in pain. My frail whimpering only increased the amount of pleasure for them. I never wanted to give in to the temptation of crying out. I steeled myself against it, only allowing my mouth to open in a silent scream.

I heard the sounds of footsteps in the distance and the key turning in the lock. I shielded my eyes from the murderous yellow glow that bathed the walls. My favorite person in this hell, Liliana, came walking towards me, carrying a pitcher. I could hear the sloshing of the liquid inside and immediately began crawling towards the sound. She giggled lightly and set the small jug on the floor before me. She turned her back and headed towards the door. I took a long drink, quenching the raging thirst in my throat, before looking at her questioningly.

"Wait," my gravelly voice filled the room. "Aren't you taking it back with you?"

"No. Aro has decided to be generous from now. He recently found out what Caius has been doing to you."

"So, no more beatings?" I couldn't hide the hope in my voice. She sighed and walked back over to me. She knelt down on the stones before me and held my head in her hands. She smoothed my hair back away from my eyes. Gently placing a kiss on my forehead, she looked me in the eyes.

"I want to say 'yes', but I cannot make a promise I can't keep."

I felt my hope drain away. I slumped to the ground. Liliana helped me get back to my small patch of straw and laid me down gently. She covered me with the tattered blanket, kissing me softly on the head once more.

I heard her shoes as she crossed to the door. She whispered something to me in Italian before trapping me in the darkness once more. I curled into a ball, crying heavily, and begged the heavens to send me someone to save me from my hell.

I begged for my angel.

* * *

A/N: Hopefully this was longer for you. And, I liked that I threw Edward in there. I bet you have been wondering where's he's been. I probably won't be able to update as often now since you want longer chapters, but I had an empty day today. Also, later on, I'm thinking that there might be lemons in this, but I honestly don't think I can write one or at least by myself. If anyone out there would be willing to help me or if you think I should leave them out, let me know please.

Tell me your thoughts, please.

-Truth in the Moon


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: I hope you all liked Edward's POV. I will probably throw him in often just so we can keep a tab on what is happening, at least until Bella shows up.

My second attempt at writing longer chapters. I'm sorry if I disappoint.

And, it was really hard to write about Edward in this situation, but I have to do it. Believe me, it hurt.

* * *

Bella POV

I reclined the seat, letting my head rest against the pillow that the stewardess had given me. I curled up into the blanket with my headphones on. This is why I love first class. It's quiet and peaceful, and there are no screaming children like the ones I could hear in coach. Oh, and there's no one kicking the back of your chair keeping you awake.

I slipped my hand into my coat pocket again, checking to make sure that I still had Alice's bracelet. I know for a fact that she would kill me if I lost, regardless if I brought her brother back home.

My fingers brushed against the smooth metal. It felt like it weighed a ton as it lay curled in the bottom of my pocket. Every time I touched it, it seemed to make the promise I made that much harder to keep. I sighed and closed my eyes begging for sleep to come.

But, of course, when you have my job, sleep doesn't happen. My phone began ringing in my handbag and I groggily reached in my bag to answer it. I had a video waiting to come through. The name on the front read _Carmen._

I flipped it open and pressed accept.

Her face popped up on my screen, her features serious. She motioned for me to plug my headphones in so we could talk in private. I set up my keyboard so I could type back my responses.

"Hello Bella. I trust everything went according to plan?"

I nodded. "Good. The contract just arrived today and everything seems to be in order. I have to say, they are paying you quite well."

_That's an understatement._

"Anyway, we have a problem." I cringed. That was never good.

**What's happened?**

"We've just received information about Edward's situation. One of our friends in Italy managed to get inside. Unfortunately, her compassion for him put her under observation. She was apprehended and tortured until she confessed that she was trying to help him. Liliana was a good friend."

I watched as Carmen sighed on the other end. I felt bad about the loss of a colleague, but I really needed to know what information that she had managed to send to us. Thankfully, Carmen must have known how impatient I was and continued.

"So, Edward's situation is much worse than we could have imagined. They are trying to get to his family's connections using any means necessary."

I frowned.

**What do you mean, 'any means necessary'? What are they doing to him?**

My screen went blank. I waited for a few seconds and couldn't stop the gasp that passed through my lips.

Blood.

The sick rainbow of colors assaulted my eyes but I couldn't bring myself to look away.

From his wounds, that was all I could register. His body was covered in large angry welts, purple and black bruises blossomed across his skin. But that was nothing compared to what covered his back and legs.

The cuts were inches deep, some exposing the bones of his ribcage. The blood poured out of them, pooling around his legs. His beautiful face displayed nothing but pure agony. The crimson whips hung from a hand beside him, poised to strike again.

The photos disappeared and Carmen's face came back into view.

"I must say, you handled that better than some of the other girls here. Do you see what we mean? We never thought Aro would let the Volturi go this far, but with Caius, it seems anything goes."

My fingers flew as they typed my messages.

**Why are they doing this? What are they after? Is he still alive?**

"Yes, Bella. He is still alive, but from the looks of these photos, he's just barely hanging on. I already said that they are trying to get him to use his family's connections to get what they want. His father's money, his brother-in-law's legal ties, and Whitlock's military knowledge and access to weapons. He comes from a powerful family, and they know it. They think that they can cause him to bend to their will and beating him to within an inch of his life is the only way to get it."

I rubbed my eyes, realizing that the situation had gone from bad to life-threatening, completely bypassing worse. I could feel the beginnings of a headache at the base of my skull.

"You've got you work cut out for you Bella. Get back to headquarters as soon as possible. No detours, no nothing. Just get your ass back here."

I was surprised. Carmen rarely ever cussed unless something was really wrong. I was scared to know how bad things had gotten, but I desperately needed the information.

The feed had cut off so I slipped my phone back into my bag. I didn't bother listening to music again. I needed to focus my thoughts on Edward. Well, not Edward, but the case. But somehow he kept working his way into my thoughts. I closed my eyes and relaxed. I was determined to get some sleep on this stupid plane ride before all hell broke loose.

* * *

Edward POV

I was starting to worry. I hadn't seen Liliana for several days. She no longer brought me my meals. Instead, a hand-male by the looks of it- would place my food right inside the door and close it, trapping me in the dark. I couldn't help the hope that had spread through me when she told me in hushed voices that she was trying to come up with a way to get me out of here. I saw her the next day, but her smile looked forced. It was very disconcerting but I tried not to dwell on it.

Now that she hadn't come to me in four days, the faint glimmer of hope that had been burning inside of me began to wane.

_They must have found her out. And it's all my fault. Oh, god, what have I done!_

I couldn't help the tears that began falling freely down my face. I had been crying quite a bit during my imprisonment. I heard voices and footsteps outside my door and I hurriedly dried my tears. If they saw them, I would be punished severely.

The key turned in the lock and the door swung open. I tensed, thinking it was Vladislav come to deliver another beating. Not that I was looking forward to them, but it had been three days since my last one and I was due for the next.

I sighed when I realized it was Sebastian and Vidal. They were courteous to me when they saw me, but I knew their appearance did not mean well. The look in their eyes told me what I expected.

They came over and hauled me to my feet. I barely had the energy to stand up on my own. My legs shook as I forced them to hold me upright. They caught me under my arms as my knees began to give out. They never protested or hit me, for which I was grateful. They half-dragged me out of the chamber and down the narrow stone passageways. I blinked, trying to get my eyes to adjust to the light. My candle had long since run out and they had never given me a new one.

We stopped in front of the heavy oak doors where two guards stood watch. They pulled the doors open and I was led into the wide hall. I kept my head down. Not because it was heavy but because I had no desire to look into Caius's disgusting face.

Caius Volturi was the only one of the Volturi brothers that I had met, and I was very sorry I did. He was the one responsible for the orders to beat me. Several times he had asked that they bring me in here just so he could watch them torture me to his specifications.

We stopped before the raised platform, Sebastian and Vidal letting me go to drop to my knees. I still refused to look at him. Someone snapped their fingers. The thud of heavy boots filled my ears and my head was wrenched up, forcing my gazed upon the sick bastard sitting before me.

Hatred burned in my eyes, red clouding my vision. We held eye contact until I realized that he wasn't alone. He was sitting to the right of another man. His pleasant features and calm smile led me to believe that he was Aro. Aro was said to have been the kindest of the three brothers. He sat in the middle. The man on his other side could only have been Marcus. He didn't really seem interested in the proceedings going on. He stared out the windows, not looking at anyone.

"Ah, Edward Cullen. I have heard so much about you from my dear brother." My eyes focused on Aro as he addressed me. "I hope you do forgive us for our lack of hospitality, but it is a trying time right now for us."

My hands curled into fists. I was shaking with rage and pure loathing. I didn't want to hear another minute of the bullshit coming out of his mouth, every word dripping with insencerity.

"Quit beating around the fucking bush and tell me what you brought me here to tell me." I didn't bother to hide the fury in my voice. Caius laughed as he stood from his chair to walk over to me. I felt my arms yanked behind my back as my wrists were lashed together. A hand held me to the ground, grinding my knees into the stone.

"Well, it seems someone is a little testy today." Caius laughed and patted me on the head like I was a damn dog. I struggled against the guard holding me only to have Caius fist his hand into my hair and force me to look at him.

"You know what we want, Cullen. And, like it or not, you're going to help us get it."

I glared at him, seething. "Never. I will get out of here."

He laughed, the sound chilling me to my bones. "Oh really? And I'm sure you think your little friend is going to help you?"

My breath caught in my throat as the doors opened and two pairs of feet entered, dragging something along with them. I heard them drop their load on the ground beside me. I tried to look, but my eyes couldn't see that far to the side. Caius decided to be generous and help. But he wouldn't turn me away no matter how hard I fought.

Liliana's lifeless form lay before me, her face drained of color, her dark hair splayed around her head like a halo. The only person who had ever been kind to me while I was here was gone. She had exchanged her promise of help for her life. Uncontrollable rage flooded my body as I jerked sideways, shoving my shoulder into Caius's stomach. He grunted and stepped back, ripping out some of my hair.

I couldn't control the profanities that spilled from my lips as I flailed wildly, trying to hit anyone I could reach. I felt three men pin me to the ground, shoving my face roughly into the dirt-covered floor, busting my lip. Caius's words that once made me cringe only left grinning in triumph. I had won this round, but it would cost me.

"Vladislav, Rodolfo, until I say stop!"

I was hoisted back on my knees as they tore the shirt from my body. I watched as the whips unfurled in front of my eyes.

"Wait." Caius reached behind him and pulled out a long box. Opening the lid, I couldn't help but be afraid of the instrument inside. He lifted it up and walked slowly over to me. He held it in front my face, the light glinting off the smooth metal. He smiled before shoving his knee into my stomach, making me double over. I was forced upright again.

I watched him as he attached it to the end of the whip, making sure it was secure. I closed my eyes waiting for the blow, but sighed when I heard Aro speak.

"Caius, this is not necessary. You have no reason-"

Caius cut him off. "No reason?! I have every reason and right to do this, especially after the way he treated me." I opened my eyes to watch him glare coldly at his brother. "Leave me to my business or I will hurt you, brother." Aro reluctantly stepped back, but walked off towards the doors. Caius called after him.

"Where are you going?" Aro turned, his eyes emotionless.

"If you will not listen, I will not watch." He swept from the hall, followed by Marcus and many of the attendants. I looked away. For the first time, I saw some compassion from a higher up, but as always, it evaded me.

I felt Caius's putrid breath on my face as he spoke to me.

"I will enjoy watching this as much as you will suffer through it."

The unfathomable pain that ripped through me was unbearable. The metal hook latched onto my skin, shredding the already tender flesh. I could no longer hold in my cries. Caius's merciless laugh echoed wickedly around me.

_I have nothing now. No hope, no help, nothing. I am nothing._

As the room faded into black, my mind showed me the silhouette of a woman reaching out to me. A soft, angelic voice spoke to me, comforting me with her words.

_Have hope. Help is coming. You are something. I promise. Hold on, Edward. Hold on._

* * *

A/N: I won't lie. That was really hard, but I needed to show what he is going through and that everyone isn't evil. Hence, the merciful Aro.

Please tell me your thoughts. I would love to hit like 40 reviews but I would be ecstatic with something like 45 or even more. I hope I'm not asking for too much. Please? I will love you all more than I already do.


	9. Chapter 9

Sorry that it's been a while but I have spring break coming up so I should be able to get out hopefully two more chapters by then, but I know my friends are going to drag me out to go shopping for prom dresses, ugh. So don't set my two chapter deal in stone. I'll do my best. And please review. I love hearing about my work. Wow, did that sound conceited or what. Anyway, please tell me what you think. I love hearing from you and your ideas.

By the way, see if you can find my Jacob reference!!!!! I thought it was clever, if I do say so myself.

* * *

I almost ran into the theatre. My phone was vibrating in my pocket. I knew it was one of the girls or Carmen telling me to hurry up and get to headquarters. I tapped my foot impatiently against the floor and I felt it move.

The lift hadn't even touched the floor and I was already running to get to the data room. I turned the corner and almost hit Carmen. As I tried to stop myself from colliding with her, I ended up falling on my ass.

"Bella, there you are," she said as she reached down and pulled me to my feet. She dragged me down the hallway and into her office. Three suitcases waited by the door, checked and ready to go.

She pushed me into my seat before frantically pushing buttons to get her screen to pop up. While the information loaded from the data room, she turned to face me.

"Bella, this situation is getting worse. The Cullens just sent us this. The way the Volturi is pressuring them, it's unbelievable."

"What are they doing?"

She sighed and turned towards the screen. She tapped the screen and a black box popped up. I looked at her questioningly but she only motioned for me to look at the screen. After a few seconds, a rustling sound could be heard, followed by the sounds of something dragging on the ground and someone moaning.

The camera finally came into focus and I immediately wished that it hadn't. Carmen had to turn away, but I couldn't tear my gaze from the horrid scene in front of me. Watching it happen was a hundred times worse than looking at a picture. My stomach churned a little more as the whip came in contact with his skin, the echo of his screams reverberating in my ears. When his glorious green eyes filled with tears of agony looked directly into the camera, I jumped up from my chair and closed the video down. I was shaking as my knees gave way and I slumped into a heap against the wall. Carmen came and sat next to me, wrapping her arm around my shoulder.

"Bella, now you've seen for yourself how this is escalating. Carlisle is ready to give them anything they want, Emmett and Jasper aren't far behind. If the Volturi get a hold of those three resources, nothing will stop them, ever." She gestured to the suitcases in the corner. "Your new flight leaves in three hours. Because you will be in Italy, use Isabella. Also, since you will have to do everything that Luca tells you to, we can't send you in wigged. If it were to come off, I don't even want to think about that."

She pulled me to my feet and walked me to the door. She opened the door and two of the newer girls were there. They grabbed my bags and began walking towards the exit. We followed, quickly and silently. A car was waiting outside and the bags were being loaded when Carmen stopped me.

"Bella, please be careful. I know that you've trained for this and that you can do it." She pulled me into a hug which I returned gratefully. She released me and looked me in the eyes. "I have faith in you, Bella. Make us proud."

I nodded and walked out the door. I climbed into the back seat and looked out the window. The ride to the airport was short and I quickly made it through security and to the gate easily.

I curled up in my seat in first class, thankful for the large chairs. The only time I woke up was when the flight attendant came over and brought out my dinner. I slept through the remainder of the trip.

I switched flights in London to connect to the one to Italy. I didn't sleep on this ride. Instead, I poured over all of the information that I had been given, committing it all to memory. Getting out of Fiumicino Airport in Rome was easier than I expected. I found my luggage quickly and walked outside. I looked around, trying to find the best place to start when I saw a small Italian woman holding a sign that said _Isabella Swan_. I walked over to her. She looked me up and down before beckoning me to follow her. I did, weaving through the crowd and trying to keep pace with her.

I didn't ask any questions for fear of someone on the wrong side being able to overhear. The woman stopped by a small car and helped me load my suitcases. They just fit as we slammed the door shut and climbed inside. She weaved in and out of traffic, navigating the crowded streets of Rome with unbelievable speed. She pulled off on a side street and motioned for me to get out. We grabbed my bags and I followed her inside a dark room. The door closed plunging us into total darkness.

Her soft voice rang out in the pitch black. "When anger is high, the boy is away…"

"It's time for the wolf to come out to play," I finished quietly. The lights snapped on and I had to shield my eyes. I rubbed my eyes and took in my surroundings. It was small, barely enough room for one person, let alone two. A tiny bed sat in one corner with a small kitchenette opposite that. A radio rested on a table covered in a beautiful cloth. The walls were white but covered with pictures and paintings. I noticed a chair next to the bed and sat down while the woman bustled about in the kitchen. I jumped when she spoke.

"Isabella," she said, her voice heavy with her Italian accent, "I would not get too comfortable. I have strict orders from the Volturi to bring you to them immediately. Carmen insists I follow their orders but I only after I explain to you who I am." She laid a small plate of food in front of me which I dug into. I listened and ate as she told me her story.

"My name is Cipriana. I am an old friend of Carmen's and have been working with her for years to try to bring down these devils, the Volturi. My job is to help you get closer to this boy, Edward. Do you know the plan that Carmen had devised?"

"A little but I don't know all of the details."

She nodded. "Since you will be with Luca at all times, it will be difficult for you. But you are lucky. Luca loves beautiful women, but he loves the chase even more. You must not give into him, but make him chase you. It will put you in control. You must always have control. When he least expects it, draw him to bed with you. I will have one of my men outside waiting at all times, ready to take the shot. We only get one chance at this. It is your job to get him to stand in front of the window in his bedroom. My men will take the shot and you must scream, make it look believable. Once Luca is gone, they will see no need to keep you. Make yourself seem useful. Offer to be in charge of the boy. At this point, he is by no means strong enough to fight you if he tried. They will have nothing to worry about. Once you are inside there, I cannot help you. You will be too far in for me to be of assistance. But, I trust you know what to do?"

My head was swimming with all the information she just gave me but I nodded. I knew that part of the plan like the back of my hand. She took my now empty plate and set it in the sink. I pulled out the file and looked over the last minute details. I had already memorized everything. All I had to do was destroy it.

A metal thud sounded in front of me and I looked down to see a metal bin. Cipriana tossed me a lighter. Holding the papers aloft in front of me, I watched the edges of the folder burn, the pictures turning to ash. I dropped it in the bin as the fire consumed it, all traces of Bella Swan burning with it.

I waited in the square outside, sitting on my luggage when a black car pulled up beside me. I heard a voice call out something in Italian. From the little Italian I knew, he told me to get inside. I walked towards the car and the door opened for me. Two men climbed out and grabbed my suitcases and loaded it into the back. It was dark inside, all the windows tinted near black.

We raced through the streets of Rome until we hit the country side. I fell asleep and when I awoke, the clock told me that I had been out for almost fourteen hours. We were winding out way around hills and through valleys, trees and fields flashing by. We wound our way up a steep hill, coming to stop outside the gates to some kind of community. We were allowed in after a brief inspection of the car. We drove slowly, weaving in and out, through the narrow streets littered with people.

The residents gave the car wide berth as we passed, keeping their eyes on the ground. I watched their lips, muttering quietly to themselves or to their neighbor. When one did look up, fear shone in their eyes. I shuddered, wondering what the Volturi did here that the made people afraid of them.

We pulled up outside a large stone mansion. There was no other way to describe it unless I called it a castle. The men led me up the worn stone steps and into the front hall. Our shoes echoed across the floor as we walked towards a large set of wooden double doors. Two guards were stationed on either side and pulled them open.

I walked into a long chamber with a high vaulted ceiling and tall windows on either side. The sunlight filtered in, the dust creating patterns in the light. Before us, sitting on three large chairs, were the unmistakable Volturi brothers.

Aro sat in the middle, peering at me curiously. Caius sat on his left and Marcus on his right. Neither of them looked particularly interested in my arrival, but Caius had a smug look upon his face. I inwardly cringed, praying that had nothing to do with Edward.

Aro stood up from his seat, his arms wide in a gesture of welcome. I lowered my eyes to the floor, pretending to be obedient. He stopped before me and took my face in his cold hands. As he spoke, he lifted my gaze to his.

"Come, my dear. Don't be shy. Look at me." His voice was soft and gentle but still had the air of authority about it. Reluctantly, I looked into his eyes. "There now. That wasn't so bad, now was it?" I shook my head. "Now, what is your name?"

I had practiced my accent numerous times, making it flawless and perfect. "Isabella." I was glad that Carmen had decided to switch my fake nationality from French to Italian at the last minute. Aro nodded in approval.

"How well can you speak English?"

"Quite well." My accent seemed to be holding up for which I was pleased. He was glad to hear that I could speak English.

Aro released his hold on my cheeks before turning around and beckoning to someone to come closer. A large man that stood behind Marcus came strolling forward. From the pictures, it could only have been Luca. I couldn't deny that he was good-looking, but he looked a lot younger in person than in his photo. His hair had also been cut short which only added to his looks. **(Picture of what I think he would look like is on my profile if you would like to see)**

He stopped just behind Aro's shoulder, hands clasped behind his back. He held a very stoic pose, his posture straight, body unmoving. His presence both frightened me and intrigued me. He bent down so Aro could whisper something to him in his ear before nodding and stepping backward.

"Isabella, do you know why you are here?" Aro asked sweetly. I shook my head. "We have brought you here to be of service to this man. His name is Luca Corsi. You will do what he tells you when he tells you to do it. Understand?"

"Yes."

"Good. That is all, Isabella." Without another word, he turned and swept across the hall, his brothers rising and following him, their many attendants at their heels. I waited patiently before Luca, not looking at him. The hall was mostly empty, aside from the few maids that bustled about, tidying up. I jumped when he addressed me.

"Isabella." His voice was rich like chocolate, deep and soothing. It was alluring and his Italian accent only made him that much more attractive. "Come to me, now."

I didn't dare disobey and quickly walked towards him. I kept telling myself to be subordinate, do whatever he asked. I stopped in front of him, my eyes trained on the floor. I watched as he raised his hand, stopping just shy of my face. I braced myself for whatever he planned to do. The Volturi were horrible, so I had only assumed that they would all be the same. However, I couldn't help but jump when his hand softly touched my face.

His skin was warm and soothing to the touch. His hand was calloused and slightly rough, giving him a more rugged feel. His thumb grazed over my cheek as he lightly turned my head from side to side. Remembering my instructions, I cringed when I felt his grip tighten. I was pleasantly surprised when his fingers loosened their hold. His hand came up to cup the other side of my face, and he ran his thumb over my lips, causing me to part them slightly.

I could feel his hot breath on my cheek as he whispered in my ear. "Do not be afraid, Isabella." His lips touched my skin, leaving a slow trail down to my throat where they finally left. I released a shaky breath and his hands slipped from my face. "Come, Isabella." He turned on his heel and walked swiftly to the door, with me following in his wake.

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A/N: All right. I normally don't post things on my profile but I thought hey, why not? Besides, who doesn't want a hot Italian man, right? Granted, Edward Cullen might be better, but… Anyhow, please review!!!!!! And, I know that there wasn't an EPOV but after what he went through, there wouldn't be much there. REVIEW!!!!!!!!! PLEASE?????? LOVE YA!!!!!!!!!!!

**Who caught my Jacob reference?!**

-Truth in the Moon


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Okay, I totally didn't get my plan accomplished. I am really sorry but life caught up and has sucked quite a bit right now. Anyway, I'm back and hopefully this chapter is up to your standards. Plus, there's a brief Edward interlude.

PLEASE BE KIND!!!!! I've never written anything to this level before. I've never written a lemon so please don't be hateful about my half-lemon thing. I tried and if it sucked, it sucked. But I don't plan on filling every chapter with them. And, I know it's not Edward, but it's part of her job so bear with me.

NEED YOUR OPINION!!! VISIT MY PROFILE AND TAKE MY POLL, PLEASE! TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT!!!! :)

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Bella POV

I followed swiftly behind Luca as he led me through the long winding hallways. I memorized the path quickly in case I needed an escape. Several flights of stairs and twenty minutes later, we stopped in front of a large wooden door. Luca turned to face me.

"These are my quarters. You may go wherever you like, do what you please. However, do not, under any circumstances, leave this wing of the building." His eyes became grave as he looked at me with his hypnotic stare. His dark eyes were so alluring, they should be considered dangerous.

He took me by the hand and led me inside. It appeared that the Volturi money had been put to good use. The suite was lavishly furnished and the high window bathed the room in sunlight. The cream-colored carpet was thick and soft. A small fire was going in the fire place. He dragged me up the stairs and opened a door that led into a rather large room. A small room off to the side told me that it was a bathroom, and a nice one at that.

Luca dropped my hand and turned around. "Isabella, this is your room. You will sleep here every night unless otherwise instructed. The bathroom to your right is all yours. Your clothes and necessities have already been brought up and taken care of. I hope you find everything to your liking." He smiled at me, kissing me lightly on the cheek before heading to the door. "I am the third door on the left should you need anything. I will be gone until seven this evening. You will dine with me downstairs. Be there and dressed appropriately at that time. Good bye, Isabella." With that, he left, leaving me to my own devices.

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Edward POV

I don't think I have a choice anymore. My body is screaming at me to give up and I'm more than willing to listen at this point.

I couldn't even find the strength to pull my tattered blanket over me to keep me warm. I tried to curl into a ball but the pain was too much to bear. Not the physical pain; I could live with that. But the emotional pain from what I caused, for being responsible for Liliana's death, was overwhelming.

I sobbed until my eyes became sore and dry, all my tears spent.

I lay on my mattress and, for the first time since I had been in this hell, I wanted to die.

* * *

Bella POV

I dug through my closet until I found a nice little black dress. I showered and dressed, putting on my make-up. Slipping on my black heels, I deemed my appearance acceptable and headed downstairs at five to seven.

I had spent the day exploring this vast suite, poking my head into rooms to peer at its contents. Nothing really caught my eye until I came to what I assumed was Luca's room. I tried to turn the handle but found it locked. I easily could have picked the lock, but I didn't need him to find out and become suspicious of me right off the bat.

I was staring placidly out the window, enjoying the view when I heard the door open behind me. His soft footfalls became louder as he approached. He stopped behind me, sweeping the hair off my shoulder and placing soft kisses along my neck and shoulder, stopping just below my ear. His warm breath tickled as he spoke.

"Come, my dear. Now we eat."

He took my hand and led me into the small dining room where a beautiful meal was laid out on the table before us, complete with candles and wine. He stepped around the table, pulling out my chair for me. I couldn't deny it; his manners were impeccable.

We ate in silence, each sneaking glances at each other as we ate. The food was divine and so was the company. I was having a hard time remembering what I was doing. It was hard to believe that this man was a member of one of the deadliest terrorist groups in the world.

When he stood, I pushed my plate away and went to stand. He appeared beside me and held out his hand which I took. He led me upstairs and kept walking until we reached his bedroom. He pulled a key out of his pocket and unlocked the door. He smiled and ushered me inside.

The room was huge and lavishly decorated. The large ornate bed in the center was covered in a blood red quilt, a striking contrast from the black wood frame. Luca flipped a switch and the lamps around the room glowed with life. I walked in further, taking in my surroundings.

Luca came behind me once again and began planting kisses along my neck like earlier. His voice was husky and full of lust when he spoke, sending chills up my spine.

"Isabella, you are mine tonight."

He spun me around and held my face in his hands. Slowly, he came closer and brushed his lips against mine. They were soft and warm and I craved more. He obliged. He pressed his firmly against mine, slowly and sensually.

I pushed back, loving the feeling. The response triggered something in him. His mouth moved roughly against mine and he wrapped an arm around my waist, bringing me closer to his body. I could feel the muscles tighten in his chest and I kissed back with vigor.

His tongue darted out and ran along my bottom lip, asking for entrance which I accepted. He tasted like mint and the wine we had for dinner. He pushed against me harder and ground his hips against mine. I could feel his length pressed against me so I shifted my hips slightly. He hissed in pleasure, releasing my mouth.

His hands slid up my back and loosened the ties for my dress. He pulled the zipper down and I shimmied out of it, letting pool on the floor. With nimble fingers, I swiftly unbuttoned his shirt, sliding it off of his shoulders. We kicked off our shoes before lunging at each other again.

He lifted me up and wrapped my legs around his waist as he moved towards the bed. I felt the softness envelope me as he scooted us up so I could rest my head on the pillow. I pulled my legs away and tugged on his belt, undoing it and his pants. He shoved them down to his feet and kicked them off. I could see his erection straining against the fabric of his boxer briefs, begging to be released.

He lowered his head to the pulse point on my neck and sucked. He ground his hips against mine again, creating a delicious friction between us. My arousal was prominent now, the wetness soaking my panties through. He felt it and moved again, making us both moan in pleasure.

His began kissing lower and lower, past my collar bone down into the valley between my breasts. His hands snaked behind me and unclasped my bra. He pulled it roughly from my body, exposing me to him. His mouth returned to mine as he palmed them, running his thumbs over the hardened peaks. I moaned into his mouth and he did it again.

He pulled away, leaving me gasping for air. His head bent down and his mouth replaced one of his hands. I gripped his sheets, my head thrown back as he continued his assault with his mouth and ground his hips harder. He switched to my other breast, lavishing it with the same attention as the other.

His hand trailed its way down the side of my body, his fingers trailing over the waistband of my panties. I felt him start to pull them down when the phone next to his bed rang.

He grumbled and reached for the phone. He answered and started speaking in rapid Italian. His face changed from frustration to anger as he ended the conversation and hung up. He rubbed his eyes before looking at me. He eased his body off of mine before sliding off the bed. He held out his hand to me and helped me up. He crossed the room and came back holding a soft black bathrobe that he slid onto me. Scooping me up into his arms, he carried me to my room.

He opened the door and walked over to my bed, placing me down on top of the covers. He brushed the hair away from my face and placed a gentle kiss on my forehead.

"Good night, my Belle. Pleasant dreams." He turned and walked out of my room, shutting off the lights. I laid there, my mind reeling.

I sighed and rolled over, breathing in Luca's scent. His cologne smelt wonderful. I smiled in contentment before realizing I was making a mistake. I groaned. This was not going well.

How am I supposed to rescue a man who looks like a Greek god while being with such a mesmerizing man?

I am so fucked.

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A/N: I'm sorry if this was short but next chapter, I haven't quite decided if I want to actually have Bella and Luca to completely get together or if I want to get rid of him.

Please help!!!!! REVIEW!!!!!

-Truth in the Moon


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Okay. All of my readers, you have every right to yell at me. I know that I have been absent for a long time but with finals and everything else, the only time I have left is for sleep. I have not forgotten this story or my other story Perfect Morning Crazy Nights. It's just been a nightmare, kind of. Anyway, I am now done with school and am now a SENIOR!!!! So hopefully I can get my butt in gear and write more since I have some more time. PLEASE DON'T GIVE UP ON ME!!!!

Now, as per the request of my readers through my handy little poll, chapter 10 should get things moving.

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Bella POV

After that first night with Luca, I hardly ever saw him anymore. He left extremely early in the morning and came back well into the night. I played my role well as the 'little mistress', as I began calling myself after that first night. I always made sure everything was neat and orderly, that his food was waiting for him whenever he came home. Several times I fell asleep on the large plush couch only to wake up and find that I was curled up under the covers of my bed.

On the rare occasions that I did see him, he was possibly one of the kindest, sweetest men I have ever met. The way he would softly place a kiss to my temple or caress my cheek with the lightest of touches; it made it that much harder to want to follow through with my assignment.

Many nights I would lie awake, hoping there was some way I could pull this off without having to lose Luca. I knew I felt something for him and that Carmen would throw a shit fit if she found out.

I woke up from a restless sleep about two weeks after I had arrived. I felt someone lightly brushing the hair away from my face, letting their fingers rest against the smooth expanse of my cheek. A pair of soft lips started at my forehead, and slowly worked their way down my cheeks, stopping at the corner of my mouth, and lingered there.

My eyes fluttered open and I prepared to shield them from the glare of the morning sun, but it was still fairly dark, only a dark looming mass visible above me. I jerked away but relaxed when Luca's voice filled the silence.

"Shhh, my Belle. It's alright." He cupped my face, placing a small kiss on my lips. When we parted I sat up, rubbing my eyes and looking at the clock. It was almost six, far too early to be waking up.

"Luca, why are you waking me up at such an ungodly hour?" I whined, flopping back down on the bed. I laid my arm over my eyes, trying to ignore the gorgeous Italian man in my room, chuckling lightly at my behavior.

I felt his breath on my neck as he leaned over me, placing sweet open mouthed kisses along my exposed collarbone. I was having a hard time trying to stop the giggles that threatened to escape. He chuckled against my skin and I felt him smile. He wrapped his arms around my back and pulled into a sitting position. Scooping me into his arms, he carried me out of the room despite my protests.

When he refused to put me down, I settled for questioning him about where we were going. Looking up through my lashes at him, I prodded him to give me an answer. "Luca, where are you taking me?"

"Oh, my Belle, you are quite nosy." He set me down near a set of French doors and wrapped his arms around my waist. I pulled them open and was quite surprised.

"I wanted to watch the sun rise over the city with you." We stepped out onto the balcony. A breakfast picnic was already laid out for us. We sat on a small little couch and ate while the faint pink glow of the horizon gradually became brighter and turned from orange to gold. Luca reached over and pulled me into his lap. We stayed that way until I heard a faint buzzing. He sighed and reached his phone, checking his newest text. He lifted me off his lap, stood, and walked hand in hand with me back inside, kissing me once on the forehead before he left.

The front door shut and I collapsed into a heap on the floor, tears streaming down my face. I remembered the phone call from the previous night. It had haunted my dreams. I had hoped I would have more time to figure out a way to save Luca but my time had run out. Tonight I had to lure him to his bedroom window. Tonight he would have to die.

* * *

Edward POV

I never really thought things would look up here. Although I was still trapped here, it was becoming more bearable. At least I wasn't being beaten anymore.

'Maybe Aro has learned to control his demonic brother,' I thought bitterly one day after the guard had left my meal. I sighed and began to start eating. I noticed that I had gotten some fruit today. My forehead wrinkled in confusion. The Volturi were never this kind. Still, 'Never look a gift horse in the mouth' as my mother always said.

Thinking of my family only brought tears to my eyes. I missed them so much. I longed to be surrounded by my mother and father and my siblings. I would take Emmett's relentless teasing a billion times stronger than this and Alice's constant flow of boundless energy. Jasper's calm persona but sharp humor I needed, and remembering mine and Rosalie's incessant banter back forth only made the heartache in my chest that much stronger.

I shoved the food away, my appetite gone. I wasn't craving food. I was craving my family, a hunger so powerful it hurt. I couldn't take it anymore. I curled up on my flimsy mat and allowed my body to shut down, letting my mind wander through memories.

* * *

Bella POV

I sat curled in a ball on the couch, staring at the clock. 9:00- one hour left. 9:20- forty minutes left. 9:30- thirty minutes left. I knew that if I was going to do this, I had to stop looking at the clock and focus. Still, I couldn't look away. I was still sitting when the clock read 9:55. I didn't want to think about it, but when I heard footsteps right outside the door, the panic and pain seemed to take over my mind. The doorknob turned and I jumped up. Luca walked in and I almost ran into his arms. Instead I slowly made my way over and wrapped my arms around his neck. Putting my lips next to his ear, I whispered, "I hope you're not too tired because I really want to take this to the bedroom." He groaned softly into my neck before placing a kiss there. We parted and he took my hand, leading us swiftly down the hallway. He pulled out the key to his room and unlocked it before pushing me inside.

I stood in the center of the room as he shut the door behind him and turned to face me. I felt my chest tighten and had to look away. I also had to give the signal to the shooter. I crossed to the window and leaned on the window sill. I knew they were watching so I nodded my head slightly. I saw a small flash of light in the distance and knew they were ready. I took a deep breath to calm my nerves and keep the tears at bay.

I heard Luca come up behind me and felt his strong arms wrap around my waist, pulling me into his chest. He started placing small kisses along my neck. He pulled on my robe, letting it slide down to reveal my shoulder. Starting at my neck, he worked his way down to my shoulder and back up, making a circuit. I couldn't take it and I wiggled my body out of his embrace. I had to end this. I walked around him and he turned with me until his back was facing the window. He looked at me, confused. I looked back and let one solitary tear roll down my cheek. He stretched out a hand to wipe it away, but I shook my head.

"I'm so sorry, Luca."

He opened his mouth to speak when his body lurched forward and he fell to his knees. He looked up at me, his eyes full of pain and confusion. I closed my eyes and sat back on the bed. A muffled thud came from in front of me. Opening my eyes, I looked down to see his lifeless body lying before me, a small pool of blood surrounding his body and a small bullet hole in the back of his head. I slid off the bed onto my knees beside him. Leaning over his body, I let the tears stream freely and let out a loud, blood-curdling scream.

I waited a few minutes before the door to the room burst open. Someone scooped me up into their arms and waited for an order to carry me out. I watched as Aro walked into the room and looked down at Luca's lifeless body, his head bowed in grief. He bent down and closed his eyes, and then everything went black.

* * *

A/N: Okay. So at least I gave you something major in place of my long absence. Again, I really am sorry. I hope this chapter was okay. It's been a while since I've really had a chance to write, not just drabble.

Please let me know what you thought since this was a pivotal moment. **ALSO**, I've been thinking about getting a beta. I'm still not 100% sure if I want one but if you want to throw your name out there, I'll try to get back to you.

**PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PM ME WITH ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, IDEAS, OR CONCERNS. I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! **(no real reason for the bold all caps. I just felt like it) :D

R&R


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Hello, lovelies. I am back and I'm sorry I'm late again. I had a college visit and that's kind of important. But anyway, now we should be getting to more Edward and Bella now that Luca's gone, but this is kind of a filler chapter.

PM me with any questions or concerns or whatever. If you have suggestions, I would love to hear them.

* * *

Bella POV

When I came around, I remained emotionless. To the Volturi I probably seemed like I was in a state of shock; they saw that I had cared for him, whether I was acting or what I actually felt. I used my stone-like position to clear my mind. I kept seeing his body lying lifeless before me, knowing it was for the best and that I had a job to do.

I knew that it would destroy me to get too heavily involved in this case again. I had to finish this and find Edward and bring him home. My job, boss, co-workers, and his family were counting on me.

I blinked a few times and slowly the voices around me began to grow louder. I remained in my motionless position as a listened in.

"We can't let her go. Luca was one of our higher men. She could know too much. Maybe it's just better to be rid of her completely."

The blood froze in my veins. There was only one meaning behind those words; they were going to kill me. I breathed a sigh of relief when Aro walked back into the room, shaking his head in disapproval.

"Felix, that's not necessary. We have other things she can do. I'm sure one of our other men could use her."

Someone scoffed off to the side. "Like any of us would want Luca's seconds."

Anger flared up inside of me. I hated the fact that they were talking about me like I wasn't even here. Still, I put that aside and paid attention.

"No, Franco. I'm sure there are other options. I 'm not sure she's last as a servant girl. Luca kept good care of her and she's quite beautiful. I'd hate to see that lovely face besmeared with dirt and grime." I looked up when I heard his footsteps grow louder as he walked closer to me. He put his finger under my chin to make me look up at him. He sighed, his brow furrowed. "Dear Isabella, what are we going to do with you?"

I jumped when a door opened and several people walked into the room. A short, petite woman led the way, her face emotionless.

"Sir, you asked me to think about it and I think I know what we could do with her. Why don't we put her in charge of him? After all, we need someone new to look after him and she could keep him company and make sure he's looked after better. I think we're starting to lose him. Liliana had other work to do so she couldn't do any of that. Besides, Alec is getting tired to having to deal with him."

My eyes widened in surprise. I had been waiting for this to happen since I got here. And it sounded like the perfect opportunity. I quickly composed myself before Aro looked back down at me.

"Jane, I think that's a perfect idea. Maybe she can do a good job. We need to keep him alive and after what Caius did, I think she'd do fine. Bella," he said, turning to me and holding out his hand, "will you follow Jane? She'll tell you what to do."

I took his hand and he helped me to my feet. I looked over and she smiled widely at me. She motioned for me to follow her so I slowly made my way over. She didn't look back, but immediately swept from the hall. I quickened my pace to keep up with her.

We wound our way through the halls and down numerous stairs. The temperature dropped slightly the lower we got. Jane turned a corner up ahead and disappeared from view. I stopped where she had vanished, looking around to find her.

"Isabella, come in here." I turned at the sound of her child-like voice to see her standing in a doorway. She beckoned me to come before slipping back inside. I followed her and quietly shut the door behind us.

We were standing in a quaint little bedroom. Sunlight streamed in through the window at one end while a fire flickered softly in the hearth opposite it. There were shelves of books, a stereo, stacks of cds, and a small television in the corner. I took it all in before Jane spoke again.

"Isabella, this is where you will be staying from now on. The room is yours to do what you like. You may go anywhere you like in the castle," she said, smiling sweetly, before adding, "as long as the doors are unlocked, that is. You don't want to go poking around where you shouldn't be." She held her smile in place but her eyes narrowed slightly, warning clear in her gaze.

"We will have someone collect your things from Luca's room and bring them down to you. Now, if you will follow me, I will show you to your new job." She turned and walked out of the room, leaving me standing there, pondering her words. I jumped when she called my name and hurried out after her.

When she heard me following, she looked back at me and began to speak. "Aro said you're free to come and go down here as you please, so long as you don't do anything against the rules. He's your only responsibility and I think Aro would like to see him enjoy his time here somewhat. I'm sure our prisoner would like someone to talk to. He's been all alone since he's been here."

I already knew who 'he' was but I figured I should probably ask anyway. "Ummm, who is this 'he' you keep talking about?"

She smiled wickedly. "Oh, I forgot you didn't know. Luca really kept you out of the loop. You are going to be taking care of Edward. It's a shame, really, to give this job to you. Many of the women here wouldn't mind looking after him. He's quite easy on the eyes."

She stopped at a large wooden door and pulled back a grate so we could peer inside. "Here he is. This used to be a dungeon. We didn't have anywhere else to put him, so Caius had him thrown in here. It's dark but when you go in with him, you'll have light. You can get a better look then."

I looked inside. Using the dim light of the corridor, I could make out a figure lying on the floor. A quiet groan issued forth and the shape moved infinitesimally. My heart twisted at the sight and I couldn't help the 'oh my god' that ghosted from my lips. I leaned in to get a better look when Jane slid the grate back into place and pointed for me to go back down the hallway.

We got back to my room and she hustled me inside. She pointed to a chair for me to sit in then left. After a moment the door opened once more and a small girl shuffled in carrying a large tray. She crossed the room and placed it on the table in front of me. She stood in the middle of the room, showing no signs of leaving, so I motioned for her to sit down in the seat across from me. She smiled timidly and sat.

"Hello, my name is Adrienne," she said with a heavy Italian accent. "I've brought you your lunch. Aro told me that you haven't eaten since…the accident." Her voice got quieter as she spoke, obviously trying not to upset me. I tried to not to care; I had a job to do and Luca had to be out of my system. I simply nodded and she carried on.

"I will bring you your meals every day. You are to eat then take the prisoner his." She pointed to the tray where there were two plates of food. I could tell mine; it was full of delectable looking entrees, a well-balanced meal. The one next to it looked dismal. There was a small circle of meat that might have been sausage or salami, along with a few slices of yellow cheese and a chunk of bread. A pitcher of water and two glasses sat between them.

Adrienne reached into her pocket and pulled out a large brass key. She held it out to me and I took it. It was very heavy as I weighed it in my hands. "That is the key to the cell. It takes quite a bit of force to turn it in the lock but once it is unlocked, even if the door shuts, you won't be locked inside." She stood and headed for the door. "I must go. I have other responsibilities but I was told that I needed to explain things to you."

She stopped at the door and turned around. "And, if you ever need anything, come to the kitchens. I should be around." She smiled kindly at me and left.

I looked down at the food in front of me and my stomach rumbled. I didn't realize that I was so hungry. I picked up my plate and fork and began to eat. I chewed and thought, but I couldn't stop looking at Edward's food. Glancing back at my own, I lost my appetite. I couldn't help thinking that they were now starting to feed him better.

I pictured him curled on the cold stone floor, nothing but skin and bones, and huddled in pain. The pictures of him flashed before me in my mind and I cringed. I set the plate back down on the tray and took a large drink of water. I suddenly felt sick. I crossed the room and opened the window. I sighed as the cool breeze washed over my face, the fire behind me hissing in protest. I stepped back once I began getting chilly and closed the window.

I picked up the brass key in one hand and the tray in the other. I left my uneaten portion next to his, hoping I could get him to eat some real food. I left my room and walked down the hallway, retracing the steps Jane and I had taken earlier. I reached the door and set the tray down to unlock the door when I noticed a lantern sitting there. I remembered Jane saying I would need more light. I bent down and brought it to life, its warm glow illuminating the hallway. I stood up and shoved the key into the lock. After wiggling it around, I heard it click. I pulled the heavy door open, picked up my tray and light and stepped inside.

* * *

Edward POV

I heard the grate on the door slide open and cringed when the dim light hit me. I hadn't seen light in what felt like forever. I heard a high voice coming from outside the door. I rolled over slightly and groaned in pain when I hit a bruise. I winced and moved back slightly but I was still able to see the door. I could see two shadows, one significantly taller than the other. The high pitched voice was still speaking and I found it rather irritating. I was glad when she finally stopped talking.

I watched the two shadows, waiting for them to leave so I would be trapped in darkness again. I closed my eyes, ready to roll over and go back to sleep when the sweetest, softest sound reached my ears. I was so soft and quiet I was sure that my imagination had conjured it up. It was the most beautiful 'oh my god' I had ever heard in my life.

My eyes snapped open, hoping that the voice belonged to someone, and I was shrouded in darkness once again. I sighed and rolled back over, closed my eyes, and fell asleep.

***

I wasn't sure how long I had been out but I jerked awake when I heard the door of my prison open. I struggled to sit up and failed miserably. The sound of footsteps quickened and someone was kneeling beside me in an instant.

Warm hands covered my face as they pushed my lanky hair back. I sighed at the feeling, enjoying the softness and gentleness with which they handled me. I left my eyes closed, not wanting to wake up from this dream. The hands kept playing with my hair and I was nearing sleep again.

"Oh Edward, what have they done to you?"

My eyes snapped open, my vision blurred by the light. I could see the outline of someone hovering over me. I was momentarily stunned by the sound of her voice. It was the beautiful, angelic voice from earlier. As my vision became clearer, I felt my breath catch in my throat.

_Thank you, God._

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A/N: Okay, so longest chapter, I think, so far. Hope it's okay to make up for my absence. But at least I gave you some Edward and Bella together, right? You've all been craving it, it sounds like.

PM me with anything you need. REVIEW PLEASE!!!!! :)

-Truth in the Moon


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: So I know I've been making excuses for why I've been gone but I still feel like poo for not coming back sooner even though I have been really busy.

So without further ado, here is the next chapter. Why don't we kick things off with Edward for a change? Plus, this story has been angsty enough so don't knock me if I want to make myself a mushy Edward. Deal. :) Lol.

* * *

Edward POV

My head was encased by long, flowing locks of mahogany hair as my angel's face hovered over me. I was so afraid that I was dreaming, that I would wake up and none of this would be real. I wanted to reach out and touch her but I didn't have the strength to move. My mouth was dry as I tried to clear my throat.

"Who-" That was all I managed to croak out before I coughed. I hadn't spoken in days and my throat felt like it was on fire. I looked up as her face disappeared from my sight. I felt like I had been kicked in the gut. I turned my head and saw nothing but the ugly brick wall. I struggled to turn the other way when the soft hands returned to my face. I sighed, the elated feeling returning. I heard the sound of glass hitting the floor softly when her hands began to attempt to pull me into a sitting position. I tried to help by pushing off of the floor when I heard her lovely voice stop me.

"No, Edward, don't. You don't need to exert yourself. I've got you."

I knew I hadn't eaten in a while but I hadn't lost that much weight. I still had some of my muscle mass so I wasn't an easy load, but she didn't seem to struggle as she propped me up against her chest as she leaned against the wall. I felt something cold and smooth against my lips.

"Edward, you need to drink something. Open your mouth, please." I obliged. The cold water soothed the raging inferno in my throat as she tipped the contents of the glass into my mouth. Her hand slid under my chin to help prop it up as I drank greedily. I could feel it escaping from the corners of my mouth and began to run down my chin. It hit her hand and she giggled. My heart leapt at the sound.

She tipped the glass all the way forward and I drank until it was empty. She set the glass down and wiped off my face using the gentlest of touches. I heard a pitcher scrape the ground and more water being poured into the glass.

"Do you need more?" I could hear the comfort and concern in her voice as she asked. I smiled a little and nodded weakly. Once more she lifted the glass for me and I drained it completely. I could smell food and my mouth began to water.

"Do you have food?" I asked, straining to look around for it.

She laughed again. "Yes, I have food for you, but you need to take it easy. Try not to move, okay?" I sighed in response.

She leaned around me and picked up a plate and then another one. I could smell cheese, bread, and meat. I groaned, not sure if it was because I was so hungry that I would eat it, or if I was so sick of the same nasty shit they kept giving me.

She reached down and picked something up. I decided that I was actually hungry enough to eat whatever it was so long as she was the one feeding me. I opened my mouth as she brought the food to it. Something cold and wet hit my lips as she dropped it in my mouth. It hit my tongue and was assaulted with the taste of something sweet.

I must have looked like an idiot, chewing and swallowing quickly before opening my mouth again like a baby, waiting for the next bite. But she never complained and always complied. I wasn't sure what I was eating, only that I knew it was fruit and it was divine.

I eventually ate all of the fruit she had and moved on to vegetables and finally to meat. Needless to say, I was stuffed. I hadn't eaten that well in weeks and I could feel some of my strength returning to me. I was still content and didn't want to move, and she never said anything that suggested that she was uncomfortable.

I was happily chewing a piece of chicken when something hit the top of my head. She chuckled and brushed it off. Some if it fell down in my face, and I recognized the smell of stale bread. I was wondering why she would be eating that so I asked her.

"What are you doing?"

She looked down at me and smiled. "Eating. What else?"

I shook my head. "No, I mean, what are you doing eating that? It's probably disgusting and it smells like it's days old."

"Yeah, it probably is, but I don't mind. I've eaten worse and it's really not that bad."

I was still confused. "If it's old, why are you eating it?"

She smiled again and ran her fingers through my hair. "Because, I can't return your plate without it looking like you ate something. Who knows what kind of trouble I'd be in."

I choked on my food, feeling terrible. She pulled me upright and gave me some water to clear my throat. When I could breathe again, she set me back down in her lap. I started to say something but she stopped me.

"Look, before you get all manly on me and insist I shouldn't be doing this, because I know that's what you were about to do, don't. You need this garbage like you need another kick to the stomach. I can handle a little bit of bad food if it means that you get the nutrients that you need and haven't been getting." She looked down at me, her face serious. "Trust me on this. Besides, if it makes you feel any better, before I came down here, I already ate what I wanted from it. You're just getting the leftovers. Now, shut up and eat."

I did as I was told, still not totally comfortable with what she was doing but glad that I wasn't depriving her of a decent meal.

When I was finished, I sighed and relaxed into her touch. She softly played with my hair and lightly ran her fingers over my face. I felt a little flutter of happiness inside of me as I lay there, but I still had no idea who this woman was, only that she seemed completely and utterly perfect.

I cleared my throat. "So, um, who are you?" I hoped I hadn't come across rude but I was very curious.

"My name is Isabella," she said. She opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something else. She closed it and looked down, studying me. She gave me a long, piercing look before speaking again. "If you would like, you can call me Bella, but only in here, okay?"

I nodded and decided to ask another question. "Bella, how did you get stuck doing this? If you don't mind me saying, the Volturi never let the beautiful women do this kind of work. They always keep them, well, visible."

She cringed and I immediately regretted the question. "Oh, Bella, I mean, you don't have to tell me…I was just wondering…it's…never mind."

She sighed and gave me a small smile. "It's fine. I knew that you would ask eventually. I was, given, I suppose would be the term to use here, to one of the higher ups. I only arrived a few weeks ago but that was my purpose. Unfortunately, he was killed last night. Someone shot him through the window."

She looked up, focusing on the opposite wall. I couldn't tell if she was crying or not. I had a strange feeling in my chest, like I secretly hoped that she hadn't been in love with him. I shook that thought away. That wasn't appropriate for this time and place. Still, I wasn't expecting what came next.

"I watched him die at my feet," she said quietly. My stomach churned and I felt guilty for bringing this topic up. I didn't want to upset her, especially after all she had done for me.

"Look, we don't have to talk about it. I'm sorry for bringing it up."

She smiled again but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Don't apologize. It's…it's not like it's your fault. Things happen, that's all there is to it."

We were both quiet after that. I wasn't sure how long we stayed that way but it was comfortable. I'd never felt so at peace with the silence. I always felt like I was going to go mad if I didn't talk to anyone, but her presence was more than enough. She kept lightly stroking my hair, several times pulling it back from my face only to giggle when it flopped back to where it was.

The silence was broken when I heard her speak softly.

I turned to look up at her. "What's wrong?"

She looked down at me and frowned. "It's getting late. I've been here for several hours. I should be getting back to my room."

"Oh." I didn't want her to leave but she had been here for a long time and hadn't eaten anything other than my disgusting food.

I felt her shift behind me and lift me up. I used what little strength I had to help her as she slid out from under me. She turned me and gently laid me down on my mat. She knelt down beside me, smoothing my hair back from my face once more.

"Edward, I don't want you moving tonight. Save your strength and let your body heal. I'll be back tomorrow with more food. I'll try to see if I can get a few medical supplies so I can bandage your wounds. But, please, let me find you in this position tomorrow, okay?" I nodded and she gathered her things. Picking up her lamp, she walked towards the door. She turned and waved before stepping outside, shrouding me in darkness.

I didn't move. My mind was going haywire. I couldn't stop thinking of how undeniably beautiful she was, or about the kindness she showed me. The more I thought of her, though, the more my mind started to wander. I couldn't seem to stop picturing her ass as she walked out of my cell or how my mind stopped registering what she was saying once I heard the word 'position', considering all the blood in my head had immediately run south.

I groaned and put my arm over my eyes, completely forgetting that I was already consumed by the dark. But the darkness was doing nothing to control my sudden desires. I closed my eyes, willing my body to sleep. It wasn't long before I started to relax and I felt sleep beginning to come upon me. I got as comfortable as I could and fell into a restful night of sleep, my dreams plagued by my glorious brunette goddess.

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A/N: Yeah, so no switching POVs this chapter. I thought you might want some time with our darling Edward. And, yes, I'm making him a sap cause I like him that way. It brings warm fuzzy feelings. But he's also a guy, so…you know…wanted to throw that ending in.

And, maybe bring about a shameless review plug?

Drop me a review or PM me with anything. I don't really care.

-Truth in the Moon


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Hello again. Guess what? This story is now over on Twilighted! So, if you want to stop by over there and say hi, feel free to do so.

Oh, and please check out my one-shot Kiss and Tell. It's my first lemon ever and I want to know if you all think it's good enough to write another one, possibly for this story? Hopefully now I have your interest piqued. Hee Hee…

WARNING: I feel that it is my responsibility to say that there is mention of rape in this chapter. It's not graphic, just a brief mention, but it is there. I do not take the subject lightly and I am sorry if it offends, but I am just letting you know that I mention it.

Thanks so much to karma0be11e for being a wonderful beta. She's pretty much amazing!!!

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BPOV

I walked back to my room, my body shaking slightly. I left the tray and the empty plates outside the door, smiling as I remembered how I had fed Edward today. I stepped inside and closed the door. I crossed the room and sat down on the bed before leaning against the pillows.

I had seen pictures of him many times but seeing the real thing up close was just breathtaking. He may have been covered in cuts and bruises but he was still inhumanly beautiful.

I wasn't sure why, but I felt empowered once I had looked down upon Edward's abused and battered form. I recalled the image of him lying on the dirty, disgusting floor, the sadness and pain in his eyes as I first looked at him, and the brief shimmer of hope that his body seemed to emanate as he rested in my arms. I knew that I was doing everything I could, and actually seeing him respond to me made me believe that I could get the both of us out of here alive.

I was jarred from my thoughts by a timid knock at the door. Groaning, I lifted myself up off the bed and stretched, my limbs stiff from lying on the hard stone floor with Edward. I crossed the room and opened the door a crack to find Adrienne standing there, another tray in her hands.

"May I come in?" she asked shyly as I stepped aside. She came in and set the tray down on the table near the fire. She stood and looked around, waiting for me to say something or sit down. I smiled at her and took a seat while motioning her to do the same. She took the chair opposite mine as I reached for my food. I took a bite and swallowed before speaking.

"So, Adrienne, did you need something?" She refused to look me in the eyes and mumbled quietly so that I didn't catch it. "I'm sorry but I didn't hear what you said."

She looked down at her hands folded in her lap, her fingers twisting together. "I was just looking for someone to talk to."

Her answer caught me by surprise. "Oh." She looked up and must have misinterpreted my reaction. She quickly stood and began to cross over to the door. Her hand was on the handle when I called her back.

"Wait, you don't have to leave." She stopped and turned back around. "Come back and sit. I'd be glad to talk to you. The only people I've really had a conversation with today were Jane, who's a little intimidating, and Edward, though he was only half-conscious." She chuckled once before sitting down again.

We spent the next hour talking about whatever came to mind until my curiosity got the better of me. There was a lull in the conversation so I took a chance. "Adrienne, how did you end up working here?"

She looked at me as fear and panic flashed in her eyes. She glanced at the door and I was afraid she would leave so I backtracked. "Look, it's okay if you don't want to tell me. I was just curious." She nodded but remained quiet. An awkward silence descended upon us as we both gazed into the fire.

"I was twelve." Her voice was quiet as she spoke. I turned to her, waiting patiently to continue. "My father had come to the Volturi brothers to ask for money. They gave it to him with his promise that he would pay them back, whatever the cost. My father took the money and tried to set up his own business—a landscaping business.

"It started off well, but when one of his clients complained because the plants kept dying, he made my father come back over and over again to work. The man was so picky and furious that my father would not come back when he called him. He threatened to ruin my father unless he fixed it, no matter how many times the garden died. My father used up all the money he had earned and was saving so he could pay back the Volturi until he had nothing left. He lost his business when he failed to keep the man happy. His reputation was trashed because of it.

"Then the Volturi came knocking. They wanted their money back, with interest. We didn't have the money to pay them back and my father pleaded for more time. They shook their heads and left.

"That night, I woke up to the sound of my mother screaming. I opened the door of my bedroom to see what was happening. My room was directly across from my parents' room and I saw everything. The men who had come earlier had tied my father to a chair and made him watch as they tied my mother to the bed. My father screamed at them and fought against his restraints but they only laughed at him and beat him until he quieted. I could hear his sobs as each of the men took my mother for their own sick pleasure. I closed my eyes but I could still hear them laughing while she screamed.

"Everything got quiet. I opened my eyes to see my father leaning towards my mother's body, as it lay motionless on the bed. He kept calling out her name as tears ran down his cheeks, 'Maria, Maria.' I tried to quietly cry, but I was loud enough that I was heard. Two of them came barging into my room and grabbed me. I tried to hurt them, hit them if I could, but they wouldn't let go. They brought me into my parents' room and tied me up. They forced me down on my knees in front of my father and placed a gun against my head.

"My father started pleading with them not to shoot me. 'Take me, please. Kill me instead.' They only laughed and they cocked the gun behind me, pressing it harder against my skull. He kept crying out until I felt someone pick me up and put me over his or her shoulder. I remember hearing one of them speak. 'Fine, have it your way,' he said and the gun went off. They threw a bag over my head and carried me out of the house. Everything got hot and I could see a huge fire through a hole in the cover. They had set our house on fire, destroying everything.

"They brought me here and Aro sent me to work in the kitchen where I have been ever since. They used me to pay back the money they lost and since they destroyed everything my family had, I have nothing but this."

She finished her story and stared into the fire. I let my thoughts run wild as I watched her. Adrienne gazed into the fire with a raging intensity in her eyes that wasn't there before. Her hands were balled into fists at her side and she was visibly shaking.

She was shy and afraid on the outside, not wanting to let anyone in. Considering what her life was like, who could blame her? But after she told me about her life, I knew there was something more to her that the mask she presented to the rest of the world.

She hated the Volturi and I would bet my job that she would be willing to do almost, if not everything, in her power to bring them down. I mulled that over. It would be unbelievably helpful to have someone's assistance from the inside. But I didn't know what I would do if something happened to her. But I had a job to do and I wasn't supposed to get attached to anyone or anything. Eventually, my determination to succeed overrode my other thoughts.

"Adrienne?" I asked quietly. She turned to look at me. The intensity was still there in her eyes but it was slowly fading. I was going to have to work quickly. "What would you give to see the Volturi brought down, to see them become obliterated?"

Her eyes widened and the fire was back. "I would give anything. I would give my life to avenge my family and destroy the bastards responsible." This was my chance.

"Would you? No questions asked?" We were leaning towards one another now, only a few inches apart and speaking in hushed tones.

"Yes. Absolutely yes."

"I need your help. I need to get Edward Cullen out of here, alive. Once I can get him out, the people I work for will have a chance to take the Volturi down. But, that can't happen unless I can escape with him. I don't know if I can do it alone."

She stared at me for a long moment, her mouth hanging open before she closed it and slowly nodded her head. "I will do it. What do you need me to do?"

We brought our chairs closer together so I could explain the situation a little more in detail. "Right now, Edward is injured very badly and he doesn't have much strength. For now, my main goal is to build up his strength again, so I am going to need a few things."

"Like what? I can probably sneak things up from the storage rooms below," she said thoughtfully.

"That's great. What I need as soon as possible are some bandages and ice or ice packs if that's possible. Oh, and food. He's just going to get worse if he has to keep eating that moldy bread and cheese shit." She nodded and remained quiet for a minute.

"The bandaging will be nothing but the food might be more difficult. I am required to bring that awful stuff for him."

I thought and remembered that I had fed him off of my plate today. Hopefully that could work. "What if you give me extra food and put it on my plate? Tell them that I am extremely hungry or something. Then whatever I don't eat I give to him. Do you think that would work?"

"Yes. We always make lots of food so it would be all too easy to give you more."

"Excellent. Can you get started tomorrow?" She nodded.

"Great." I gave her a long searching look. "Adrienne, you must swear to me that you will tell no one about this. This is extremely dangerous and it must be kept a secret."

"I swear on my life, Isabella."

We sat in silence for a while. A firm knock sounded at the door causing us both to jump. I stood and crossed the room to open the door. A rather short black haired man stood outside. He smiled up at me wickedly.

"Ah, Isabella. Oh, and I see you have company. I hope you aren't busy?"

I narrowed my eyes. "No. Why?"

"Aro has asked that you come up to the main hall. He thinks it would help you to see what you're going to be working with tomorrow. If you'll come with me, please. Adrienne, get back to the kitchen!" he barked before smiling sickeningly at me again.

I turned around and saw Adrienne looking at me with fearful eyes before she slipped out the door and hurried off down the hallway. I quickly followed the short man through the winding halls in silence. A few minutes later, he led me into a room where I was directed to stand next the platform where Aro, Caius, and Marcus sat waiting. I looked at them, wondering what Aro could have meant when the short man said I would need to know what I would be working with. It wasn't long before I got my answer.

A door opened on the side of the hall and three men appeared holding someone with a sack over his head. They carried him to the center of the room and dropped him on the hard ground. He struggled to pick himself up. One of the men came forward and ripped the sack off. My eyes widened as Edward's piercing green eyes met mine with a look of fear and pleading. I wanted to walk over to him and pull him closer, but the sound of a chair scraping and the hush that fell over everyone held me in place.

I looked over as Caius stepped down and walked slowly toward him. I cringed when he held out his hand, a long black whip fluttering down to the ground before him. He shook it back and forth in front of Edward's face, taunting him, threatening him.

"Ah, Edward. Are you finally ready to talk?" he asked before his sick, demented laughter rang through the hall.

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A/N: Yep, I made a cliffie. And I think it's a pretty big one, if I do say so myself. I'm secretly hoping that it will coerce you into leaving a review. Trust me, this was tough to write. Everything couldn't be all humor and sunshine. It is kind of a dark story. But, at least I gave you some more of the plan that Bella is trying to make and how she wants to help Edward and her new accomplice.

PLEASE let me know how I'm doing. It really makes my day. Love you all!

-Truth in the Moon


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Ok, so excuse time, right? Basically, I was just a lazy bum who couldn't quite find my inspiration. But, I'm back, baby! Unfortunately, I am back in school now so things will quite possibly get worse in terms of updates. I am soooooooo sorry about that but I will try my hardest to do what I can if you will just stay with me!!!!!!!

Yeah, sorry about the violence and sadness here. It hurts to do this to Edward, but it's got to happen. And, in case you forgot, Bella uses an accent all the time, not her natural one. No one suspects her.

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BPOV

"Ah, Edward. Are you finally ready to talk?" Caius asked before his sick, demented laughter rang through the hall.

The bystanders stood mute, statues to what torment would take place, and I, one of them. Caius circled Edward slowly as he struggled to support his weight. His arms shook as he propped his body up on all fours. His head hung down, eyes cast to the floor.

A chair moved and I turned to watch Aro walk to his brother. Caius bent down and, using the handle of the whip, lifted Edward's head to look at them. Aro's normally calm, pleasant features had turned to stone.

"Edward, I have been patient with you. I have given you rest. And I have waited for you to return the sentiment. You have not. I am left with no other option than to begin again. Unless, you have something to offer now?" Aro looked into Edward's face searching for any sort of sign but found nothing but determination and loyalty to his family.

Aro sighed deeply. "Fine. Then you leave me no choice." He turned and sat down in his seat as Caius rose to his feet. Smiling, he strolled down the platform and stood in front of Edward. He reached into a large pocket on the inside of his jacket and pulled out a black cord. He untied it and let the end flutter down to the ground. Only then did I realize it was a whip. Edward's eyes briefly widened before returning to their expressionless state He raised his head a little higher, using whatever strength he had. Caius scowled.

"Alright, if that's how you want it, we'll do it your way," he said before bringing the whip down onto Edward's bare back. The smack of leather on flesh made me cringe, but I couldn't look away. Over and over again, the whip cut through the air and hit Edward's skin, but not once did he cry out.

His back was a dark pink before Caius stopped, his breathing slightly heavier than before. Edward looked up, smiling, though his limbs were shaking from the effort of holding his body up.

"Wow, Caius. Losing your touch, it seems." Caius was seething. Edward couldn't help but smile. He could see the effect of his words on Caius's face.

"Choose your words carefully, Mr. Cullen. You wouldn't want something bad to happen to someone you care about." He smiled as Edward growled at him. "Yes, remember what happened last time?"

Caius snapped his fingers and two men swooped down on either side of him. Edward struggled as they grabbed his arms and pulled them behind his back. "You son of a bitch! You killed her! You killed her, you—" His words were cut off as they gagged him and tied a cord around his wrists. They pulled him back so he was resting on his knees. He sagged so he was sitting on his heels while the other two held him on his sides.

Caius laughed. "Oh, it seems we've hit a nerve. Now you see, if you'd just given us what we wanted, dear Liliana might still be alive right now."

Edward lunged forward but was pulled back by the two men on either side of him. He lashed out, trying to break his bonds.

A door opened to my right and another man walked into the room, carrying a long box. He stopped beside Caius and pulled off the lid. He looked inside and smiled. "Ah, yes. One of my favorites."

Edward's eyes widened as Caius pulled the instrument out, each tiny strap of leather dropping down to the floor. The small pings as each hook hit the ground echoed throughout the large chamber and shivers ran down the spines of almost every person in the room. Edward began to shake his head violently, his cries of mercy muffled by the gag.

Without warning, Caius brought the wicked instrument around and I watched with fright as the small metal tines gripped the tender flesh on Edward's back. With a jerk of his wrist, the hooks flew back, taking small bits of skin with it. I felt the tears streaming down my face as Edward cried out in agony, his beautiful features twisted into grimaces of pain and suffering.

It wasn't long before Edward let the pain consume his body and he slumped to the floor. His green eyes met mine once before they closed. Caius gave him several more lashes until he felt that his punishment had been well served. With a satisfied grin, he placed the tool back in the box and swept from the hall without another word.

Aro stood as the door closed and beckoned for the crowd to follow him. He and Marcus crossed the room before Aro turned around to me. "Isabella, have the men take him back to his cell. Do what you can for him."

I thought I saw a bit of remorse in his eyes before he turned and walked out the door. The two men still stationed at Edward's sides lifted him up and followed me down the hallway and to the dungeon. I unlocked the door, lit the lantern, and led the way inside. I set up the tiny straw mat that was his bed and laid the blanket on the top to provide whatever cushion I could before I told them to set him down. They did so and I was surprised to find that they didn't drop him but carefully set him down. They didn't speak but gave one last look at Edward's bloody body before exiting the chamber.

I lifted my lantern higher and gagged at the sight before me. Blood seeped out of the multiple wounds that covered his back, some going so deep that the muscle had been torn and shredded. His face was pointing in my direction so I lightly ran my hand along his forehead, wiping away the sweat and pushing his hair back.

The small action must have woken him up because he groaned when I took my hand away. Tentatively, I lowered my hand back and ran my fingers through his hair. I was awarded with a deep sigh, the corners of his mouth twitching up. It was comforting to see that he was still relatively conscious and I wasn't going to have to worry about him not coming around because of the massive amounts of damage that had been afflicted upon him already.

I sat there quietly, enjoying the time I had with him. I was so focused on Edward that I jumped when the door opened. Watching a small figure come towards us, I was worried that it might have been Jane, but breathed a big sigh of relief to see Adrienne's face become clearer. She spun around when one of the guards shut the door behind her, but I offered her a small smile to calm her. She returned it hesitantly.

"Hello, Adrienne."

"Hello, Isabella," she said quietly as she knelt down and placed a tray beside me. "Aro came to kitchen and asked me to bring these to you." I looked down to see a rather large pile of bandages and rags, along with a bottle of antiseptic and two large bowls filled with water. "I think he felt bad for how far he let Caius go today. He wasn't happy."

I sighed and gritted my teeth. There were many expletives that wanted to come out but I kept my mouth shut. Adrienne handed me a rag and set the rest of the supplies on the ground before she picked up her tray. She stood and looked down at Edward, sorrow in her eyes. She swallowed before she had to look away. "I have to leave. They will get suspicious if I stay in here with him for too long. If there is anything else you need just let one of the guards outside know. They should be able to do something."

I nodded and waved goodbye as she stepped outside. She gave me a sad smile before the door closed. I turned back to my task at hand. Dipping the rag into the bowl, I began to wipe off the blood that had already dried. I tried to steer clear of the open wounds as much as possible, hoping that they would stop bleeding and fast.

I worked diligently but gently to clean him as best as I could without hurting him. It wasn't too long before he started moaning again. I stopped my work, afraid that I had hurt him. Looking into his face, I saw his eyes flutter open and slide in and out of focus before they rested on me.

"Isabella," he groaned.

I shushed him softly and ran my fingers through his hair again. "Yes, Edward. It's me. I'm here. I will always be here for you."

He didn't speak but kept his eyes trained on me. After several minutes, I began to clean him again. Gently, I began to apply the antiseptic to the wounds. He hissed in pain every time the medication came in contact with his skin but he never told me to stop. I carefully bandaged the cuts, trying to avoid pressing down onto the raw flesh.

I sat back on my rear to look at him. His eyes were glazed over but he still looked on. We didn't speak but sat that way for quite some time until he slowly lifted his hand, stretching out towards me. I came closer so he wouldn't have to move and took his hand in mine. I could see his eyelids beginning to flutter and that he was close to falling asleep. I squeezed his hand softly as his eyes drifted closed. I barely heard him speak as he breathed out one more time before he fell asleep.

"My angel."

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A/N: So I know there's been a long wait but I finished and I'm so sorry! But **PLEASE check out my other story 'Kiss and Tell'!!!!! I want to know what you think about my lemon writing and if I should put one in here later on!!!!!!!**

**AND BIG THANKS TO MY BETA, karma0be11e!!!!! FANTASTICALS!!!!! She's wonderful!**

**Feel free to PM me if you want to know anything or have questions!**

-Truth in the Moon


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Wow, I feel so bad for leaving this story for so long, but real life got in the way. Please forgive me!! And consider what's coming up a bribe, so to speak. Maybe I'll live up to my M rating with this one…wink wink…Edward's getting a little too attached to Bella now, I think…

Please review, comment, chew me out for being gone so long, whatever. I just want to hear from you. It makes my day, and you know you want to do that. Heehee…

I'm going to skip ahead in time since Edward was brutalized last chapter and Bella has continued to take care of him. Enjoy!

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EPOV

I never thought it was possible to have mixed emotions about the most mundane tasks, but that was my current predicament. I could finally sit up on my own, somewhat, as long as I had the wall behind me. Still, the pain was still quite terrible, even though it had been four weeks, I think, since Caius unleashed his fury on me. I spent most of my time on my stomach, the only part of my body that didn't hurt. I couldn't believe I was still being fed either. But most of that came from Bella and the food she gave me from her plate.

Bella…

I could go on forever about her. She came in every day and stayed with me for hours on end, just talking to me, even when I wasn't fully conscious. She was gentle with me when she treated me and I took joy in the fact that she didn't leave me immediately or shy away from her job. She was the highlight of my day, my angel.

I still had my dream about my angel but now I envisioned Bella's face every night, a glorious vision shrouded in light, giving me the hope I desperately needed. I couldn't deny the feelings I had for her. Every time she left, I couldn't help but feel like something was wrong. She felt like she was a part of my body that had been removed, a ghost limb; you can still feel it even after it's gone.

I closed my eyes, wondering if I could get to sleep and dream of her when I heard the heavy door creak open. I had to shield my eyes from the harsh light spilling into the room before her silhouette appeared. My heart soared at the sight.

The door closed and the only light came from the small lantern she held in her hand. It cast its warm glow upon her face, her perfect features unmarred by the shadows that plagued me daily. She knelt down beside me and set up her 'station', as I now called it. She looked up at me and smiled, and I thought my heart was about to beat through my chest as I grinned back.

"Hello, Edward. You know the drill, flip over." I nodded and, with her help, managed to get on my stomach. She quickly undid the bandages before beginning her usual inspection. Her fingers skated over my skin, and I hissed when she hit a spot that was still tender. She grabbed the antiseptic and dabbed it on before beginning to wrap me up again. Something was different this time, though.

"Wait, you forgot a few places," I said, doing my best to look up at her. She smiled down at me, shaking her head.

"No I didn't. Your skin was fine in those places and the rest of it is healing nicely."

"All thanks to you," I said, flashing her a smile. She shook her head and her shoulders shook with silent laughter.

The rest of our time together was spent with her helping me eat with our playful banter bouncing back and forth between us.

It was getting late and the light in her lantern was starting to dim as it ran out of oil. She slowly gathered her things, stealing glances at me while she did, and I stared unabashedly at her, trying to convey the feeling that I didn't want her to leave yet.

She stood, picking up her things, and giving me a tiny, regretful smile before turning around and walking to the door. She knocked twice before it opened and left, leaving me in the dark and incredibly alone.

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BPOV

I knew the look Edward gave me and I felt the same. I hated leaving him more than he could possibly imagine. I wanted to leave a part of me with him so he wouldn't be alone anymore.

I stopped in my tracks and shook my head. I was getting too involved with this case and I shouldn't. Hell, I couldn't if I wanted to get all of us out of here alive. With that thought, I headed back to my room to wait for Adrienne.

I didn't have to wait long. She knocked before coming in and grabbing the tray. She left, saying she'd be back after she dropped it off. That was fine with me, so I passed the time reading the book I had next to my nightstand.

Adrienne reappeared at the door not long after and she came in and sat in the chair opposite mine. She waited, hesitating briefly before speaking. "Isabella, what are we going to do? The brothers are getting restless again and if they hear Edward is getting better, they won't wait to hurt him again."

I nodded, aware of that fact. I was required to update them about Edward's recovery every few days. I even found that Edward's bandages had been torn off as they had members of their group check to make sure I was telling the truth.

"I know. That's why I need you to have everything ready in a week."

Her eyes grew wide. "A week? Are you sure that's going to be soon enough? They are talking about starting up again on him within a few days."

I closed my eyes and exhaled heavily. I had been afraid of this happening. I had just managed to get word out yesterday to our lookouts that I was planning on getting us out of here in seven days. I now had six. And when the Volturi say a few days, that usually means within the next day or two—much too soon for us. I let my head fall into my hands as I groaned in frustration.

I racked my brains for anything I could do to stop them when I thought of something. I knew it could work but the thought of doing that to him made me cringe. After all he had been through, I didn't want to think the only way to help Edward get out would be to hurt him even more.

I was pulled from my thoughts when Adrienne stood up quickly, her eyes glancing at the clock. "I have to leave or I will be in very much trouble. I'm sorry," she said as she began backing up to the door.

"Don't worry about it. It's ok," I murmured, my thoughts elsewhere. I heard her turn the doorknob when I decided to ask her for something. "Oh, and Adrienne?"

She turned. "Yes?"

"Tomorrow, bring me a sharp, jagged rock, will you?"

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EPOV

_The moon shone brightly through the windows of my lofty apartment back home as I led her to my bed. Taking her face in my hands, I let my lips run across the smooth skin of her cheeks, her nose, her eyelids, before catching mouth with mine. Her hands wrapped around my neck, pulling me closer as my tongue traced her lips, begging for entrance. She complied and I felt her velvety tongue meet mine. I groaned, slipping one hand behind her head and the other around her waist, bringing her petite frame tighter against my own._

_I laid her down gently on her back on my bed, her head resting on my pillow, her long mahogany hair splayed out around her like a halo. She giggled as I kissed along her jaw up to her ear, down her neck to where my shirt covered her body. I ran my fingers down the front, popping each button open to reveal her smooth, luminescent skin. My lips followed my fingers, caressing each inch of her newly exposed body. I couldn't help but smile when she began to get restless the lower my mouth got to the apex of her legs. Her fingers twisted in my hair and tugged, making me moan at the sensation. Leaving one last kiss just below her navel as I undid the final button, I pushed the offending article of clothing from her body. The moon framed her figure, each delicate feature highlighted; it took my breath away._

_I was allowed much time to look at her before she was pulling me back up her body. She pulled me flush against her skin before bringing my head down to hers. My loud groan filled the room as our mouths crashed together once more._

_Her fingers let go of my hair and moved to my back, her nails gently raking up and down my skin. I shivered violently when she skimmed her hands down my sides, below my rib cage to my hips, and I felt myself become ever harder. I ground my hips against hers, giving both of us much needed friction, but it wasn't enough._

_She moved her hands down to my waist, tugging on the band of my boxer-briefs. I lifted my hips off hers so she could pull them down, my erection springing free. I maneuvered them the rest of the way off before settling myself in between her thighs again. Her wetness against my aching need almost made me explode on the spot. I poised myself at her entrance before slipping into her dark, tight, wet core._

"_Oh, Edward."_

"_Bella…Bella…"_

"Bella."

I thought it was the sound of my own voice that woke me up from the amazing dream I'd been having. Instead, I must have been the key scraping in the lock that jarred me from sleep. When the door opened, I could make out Bella's petite frame and some of her face that was visible because if the lantern. I pulled myself into a sitting position against the wall before I noticed the large bulge in the front of the pants I had been given. There was nothing I could do since she was in the room and I could only hope they were loose enough for my hard-on to remain unnoticeable. I panicked briefly, wondering if she had heard me moan her name. Yet, she didn't give anything away that she had heard me. She looked troubled but when she brought her gaze up to meet mine, she covered up all traces of her worry.

"Hello, Edward. How are you feeling today?" she asked with a smirk. I couldn't help the blush that heated my face.

I tried to play it off. "I feel pretty good. I had really good night's sleep," I said, slouching down against the wall a little bit.

"I'll bet." She smiled briefly before putting her tray down, her smile disappearing. I looked at what she brought. I saw the remnants of her lunch along with my meager rations, and the bandages. But nestled in the center of everything was a large, sharp rock about the size of my fist.

Before I could ask about it though, she set the plates of food in front of me. "Eat. We have something we need to talk about." She didn't need to tell me twice before I started shoveling the food into my mouth. In a matter of minutes both plates were cleared of food and I was back reclining against the cold, stone wall. The troubled look was back on her face and it began to worry me. Taking her small hand in mine, I traced the lines in her palm as I spoke.

"Bella, what's wrong?" She looked up at me, contemplating what she was going to say.

"Look, Edward, I can't tell you everything; you're just going to have to trust me," she said. Although her tone worried me, I trusted her with my life, so I nodded my head. "Good. Listen, the Volturi are beginning to think you're healing up fast enough that they can begin again."

My blood ran cold. I didn't think I could take any more of their 'questioning'. Bella must have seen the panicked look in my eyes because she removed her hands from mine and cupped my face, her delicate fingers trying to smooth away the lines from my face and calm me.

"Edward, calm down. I have an idea but you're just going to have to trust me." I looked into her eyes, but I couldn't see anything to reassure me. Remorse, pain, and anger were swimming through her dark brown eyes, and I had a sudden urge to want to pummel whatever or whoever caused it. She began speaking again, so I had to force those thoughts out of my head.

"If they would only wait a week, this wouldn't be necessary but it's the only way I can think of to get them to leave you alone until it's time."

That puzzled me. "Time for what?" I asked.

"Never mind that now," she said. "Just, please don't hate me after this."

"Bella, I could never hate you, not after all you've done for me."

She laughed humorlessly. "I appreciate that, Edward, but this won't be pretty." She turned away from me and picked up the rock from the tray. I eyed it warily, not liking where this was going.

"Bella, what are you doing?"

"Lay down on your stomach, Edward." I didn't move.

"Why? What are you going to do?"

Her eyes pleaded with me. "Edward, I need you to do this. Please."

I waited a moment before slowly maneuvering my body down to the floor. She set the rock down next to her and removed my bandages. Her gentle fingers ran along the remains of what the Volturi bastards had done to me. I heard her pick up the stone as she let out a shaky breath. I nearly jumped out of my skin when I felt her lips graze my back a few times. She took a deep breath and I watched her shadow as she moved the rock over my back, the sharp point down.

"I'm so sorry about this, Edward. Please forgive me. Neither of us have a choice."

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A/N: I think I'm gonna leave it there. I know I've been gone for a long time but I gave you something extra special. So, review about that or how mad you are at me or whatever. Just let me hear from you!!!! And I like cliffies, what can I say?

HUGE thanks to my beta, karma0be11e! She's fabulous for fixing my mistakes and not hating me!

Love you all!!!


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: I really hope these apologies aren't falling on deaf ears. But, I do have good reason now as to why I'm not really updating regularly. I got cast in a production of The Sound of Music as the Mother Superior so I have rehearsals and such now, along with papers I have to do and lots of other things. Plus, I can't write this story the way I want to until I get hit by that burst of inspiration. It hit me today, so here I am.

Please enjoy and REVIEW!!! I love hearing from you! It makes my day. Plus, I am definitely using the fact you all seem to love me writing in Edward's POV to get more. Tell me which POV you like and I will try to do more in that. Or suggest a new one: a Volturi member or a Cullen family member. I could try to work one in if I feel it would work.

I'm thinking Edward has a few misconceptions about Bella here. What do you think? Let me know!! And you all are going to hate me, but I'm giving you a long ass chapter… Remember that… Leave some love!!!!

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EPOV

The cry escaped my mouth before I could try to hold it in. Bella plunged the tip of the rock straight down into my back without so much as a 'One, two, three.' She pulled it along my skin, splitting the tender areas once again. She pulled it from my back and threw it against the wall, not far from where we sat. Grabbing her supplies, she quickly began to apply pressure to stop the bleeding, all the while kissing my back softly and whispering painful, heart-felt apologies.

Was I pissed? Yes. Could I blame her? No. I knew Bella wouldn't have done anything like that to me without good reason. She wasn't like that; Bella wouldn't hurt anyone intentionally. I groaned and hissed when she lifted the cloth she used to sop up the blood oozing from the new wound. She applied some kind of cream, and the sting and burn began to dissipate. Once the bandages were firmly in place, she slid her arms around me and pulled me up into a sitting position against her. I tried to move to lean against the wall, not wanting to crush her with my weight, but she held onto me tightly. She ran her fingers through my hair, words still falling from her lips in a steady fashion.

"Oh, Edward, I'm so sorry. Please forgive me. I had no choice. It was the only thing I could think of. Don't hate me, but I understand if you do. Oh, God…"

I shushed her. Turning my head to look at her, I awkwardly pushed a strand of hair back behind her ears. "Bella, stop. It's okay. I know you must have had a good reason to do that to me. I trust you, remember?" I couldn't help but smile up at her, but it faltered when her forehead wrinkled and her mouth turned down. "Bella, what's wrong? You know you can tell me anything, right?"

"Right," she mumbled, distracted. She didn't say anything more, so I left her alone to her thoughts, content to stay in her arms as long as she'd allow.

She was quiet for several minutes until she gasped and struggled to move me off her onto the floor. She kept mumbling 'shit' over and over again. I would have found it funny if the look on her face hadn't been one of near panic. I was about to ask her what was going on when I watched her run by, pick up the rock, and put it closer to my "bed."

Flying past again, she whispered, "Lay on your stomach," before standing up against the wall. I nodded and managed to get in position. A small hiss escaped my lips, and she looked down, pain and regret in her eyes. I opened my mouth to say something when I heard the key in the lock outside the door. Bella snapped to attention, head bowed.

The door opened and the room was bathed in light as Aro swept into the room, stopping in front of Bella. He lifted her head to look at him, his thin fingers resting under her chin. He smiled graciously at her, which she timidly returned. He turned to me, appraising me, before addressing her.

"I see there are new bandages on him, Isabella. Explain."

Bella opened her mouth to speak, her haunting voice now under the guise of an Italian accent, which only served to turn me on. I shifted uncomfortably as she spoke.

"I came in to check up on him, how his healing was progressing, when I heard him moaning. I found him lying on the ground, a large cut on his back. It was bleeding profusely. I bandaged him and asked what happened. He told me he was trying to walk around, his legs sore from having to sit for so long, when he lost his balance and fell against the wall. Something sharp dug into the tender flesh and ripped it open as he fell."

Aro didn't say anything but continued to look at me. I shifted again, this time because of his penetrating gaze. "Show me." A guard stepped forward, but Aro held out his hand to halt him. "Not you. The last time one of you tried to remove the bandages, Isabella had to reset him. Isabella, you do it."

"Yes, sir." She swiftly crossed to me, knelt down, and tenderly began removing the wrappings. Once she peeled away the last layer, I had to grind my teeth together to stop from making a sound as the cool air blew across the wound, causing it to burn again. Aro stepped forward behind Bella, appraising me. He made a noncommittal nod before backing up and telling Bella to wrap me again. She applied more ointment to sooth the pain before wrapping me back up, her soft fingers sliding deftly across my skin. She finished as the door was shoved open again.

Caius came striding forward, two more guards trailing behind him. "Well, Aro? Is he fit? He better be. I've been waiting to get my hands on him again…" he trailed off. Goose bumps broke out across my flesh and the hair on the back of my neck stood up.

"No, Caius. He will not be ready for another week. You will have to wait." Aro stood calmly between his brother and me.

Caius was outraged. "WHAT! NO! You told me I had to wait a week already. I waited! Aro, so help me-"

"Enough, brother!" Aro's voice rang out through the room. Caius stopped speaking, his mouth closing with a snap. "You will wait eight days before I inspect him again. Until that time, you are not to come near him at all. I assure you, you will not want to see me if I find you have disobeyed my orders." With that, he motioned for Caius to leave.

Caius stood, glaring daggers at his brother before turning on his heel and marching out, Aro close behind him; the rest of the guards, save one, followed out after them. The one who remained stared at Bella for a few moments before smiling deviously before leaving as well.

My hands balled into fists. I knew the look in his eyes as he appraised her. I shot daggers at his back as he walked away, sparing her one last glance as he left the room, dragging the door shut behind him. I was still seething as I rolled over, gently applying pressure to my back. Whatever Bella had used definitely killed the pain.

Closing my eyes, I concentrated on my breathing and getting it under control when I felt something lightly landed on my stomach. I opened my eyes to see Bella's brown hair splayed across my chest, her face buried in my stomach. I reached down to run my fingers through her hair to soothe her when she growled. The gentle vibrations shot through my body, reawakening the pleasure-hungry beast that was trying to stand at attention inside my pants. My fingers stilled in her long locks as I willed myself to go down. I ran through list after list of things that disturbed me. By the time I got to 'bingo wings,' I finally managed to get my erection to go down some. I knew it wasn't going anywhere with Bella in her current position, but it was the best I could do.

I felt her take in a deep breath before she turned her head, still resting on my body, to look at me. "Thank God that's over," she murmured softly, all traces of her accent gone. She rocked back on her knees and slowly made her way towards my head. She stopped, sitting back on her heels to look at me, drawing pictures absentmindedly on my cloth-covered chest.

She slid her hand up to my face, cupping my cheek in her hand. "I am so sorry, Edward. But now do you see why I did that? I never wanted to hurt you. Please forg-"

I wanted nothing more than to silence her by placing my lips over hers. However, I wasn't sure how she'd react to that, so I settled for placing my finger over her lips.

"Bella, look at me." She peered up at me through the fringe of hair that fell in her eyes. "It's fine. I know why you did it, and, to be honest, I'm glad you did. I would take that any day if it got me away from them. I never want to go through that torture again." I moved my finger from her lips to cup her cheek, missing how soft they felt against my skin and wondering what they would feel like on another part of my body. And just like that, I was back at attention south of the border.

We stayed that way for several quiet moments until Bella sighed and began collecting her things, signaling it was time for her to leave for the day. She made sure everything was in place and went to stand but I grabbed her wrist, pulling her back down to me. She looked confused as I ran my fingers through her hair, my forehead creased with worry.

"Edward, what is it? Is something wrong? Are you in pain?" I couldn't help but smile at the way she seemed to care for me.

I shook my head and took her hand with my free one. "Bella, just promise me you'll be careful." She looked bewildered at my request but nodded anyway.

"You know me. I'm always careful." She grinned, and I returned it with a wan smile of my own. I released her and watched her walk away. As the door closed behind her, I wished my angel would be safe from the clutches of the devils that roamed these hellish halls.

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BPOV

I walked down the hall toward my room for what would hopefully be the last time. Leaving Edward at the end of the day was easier now, especially since I knew I would be seeing him again in a short while. I had been counting down the days, and now all I had left were mere hours. Everything and everyone was in place, so there was no choice but to leave everything in the hands of fate.

And fate is such a bitch…

Walking the familiar path to my bedroom, I felt uneasy. I couldn't shake the fact that I was being followed or watched, and being in my profession, those assumptions are usually correct. I met no one the entire way back, unusual for this place. There were always guards walking around, as the Volturi trusted no one.

I turned the final corner, my bedroom door in sight when something stirred at the end of the hall. A flash of black fabric, then nothing. I stopped, waiting to see if they would reappear or if maybe my mind was playing tricks on me. Nothing. Whatever was there had either left or was waiting around the bend.

I walked briskly to my room, setting the tray outside the door, before fumbling with the key to get the door open. I found the right one and shoved it in the lock, hurrying to get inside. The lock clicked and I threw open the door, slamming it behind me. I went to slip my key back in my pocket when I couldn't feel the key to Edward's prison in there. I dug through my pockets, wondering if I had misplaced it, but came up empty. I banged my head against the door, knowing I must have dropped it somewhere on my way back. I didn't want to go back out, knowing someone was out there, possibly waiting for me. But I didn't have a choice. Tonight was our only shot, and I needed the key if I was going to get Edward out.

I peeked out the door finding the hallway empty. I watched the corner where I saw the figure, but nothing seemed to be there. Looking the other way, I saw it; the key was sitting in the middle of the stone floor about twenty feet away. I sighed, glad that it wasn't any farther.

Leaving my door propped open, I slipped out and ran to grab it. I bent down to pick it up, but turned immediately when I thought I heard footsteps in the hallway behind me. Nothing again. Grabbing the key, I swiftly made it back to my room, checking one last time for anyone. I breathed a sigh of relief and turned to go into my room.

I grabbed my key and went to shut and lock the door. I pushed on the wood, waiting for it to close but it stopped about six inches from the frame. Confused, I pushed against it harder, but it refused to budge. I looked down to find what was stopping it as panic began to build inside me.

A large black shoe.

I was pushed back as the door was thrust open from the other side. I watched as the man stepped into the room, and I recognized him as the guard who had stared at me the week before. I regained my balance and backed up towards the bed, knowing I could use it in some way as leverage if I had to try to incapacitate him.

He stalked toward me, a hunter bearing down upon his prey. I couldn't get over the hungry look in his eyes and the twisted smile on his face.

"Who are you?"

"Is that really important?" He sighed when I didn't answer. "James." His step never faltered as he crept closer and closer.

"What do you want?" His smile only grew.

"What do I want? I thought it should be rather obvious," he said, his voice rumbling within his chest in a subtle British accent. His gaze raked down my body as undressed me with his eyes. "I want you."

"Get out of here." I stood firm, not showing any fear.

He laughed. "I don't think so. You see, when I see something I want, I get it. Whether you go willingly or by force is your choice."

I barely had time to react as he lunged at me. I backed up to where my legs hit the bed. His hand wrapped around my throat as I leaned back and put my hands down behind me. I wedged my legs between our bodies, the balls of my feet on his chest. I dug my nails into the back of his hand, breaking the skin and making him loosen his grip. I kicked off hard, and he flew back, hitting his head against the wall and putting a hole in it. He slumped down to the floor, cradling his head as I stood up from the floor. I turned, looking for the key to Edward's cell when I heard James grunt as he pushed himself toward me. He grabbed me around the knees, knocking me to the ground. He climbed on top of me, crushing me under his weight. I opened my mouth to scream, but he clamped a hand over me, muffling it.

"That was clever, but you made a huge mistake. And don't even think about screaming. That would only make things worse." His hand made crept up my shirt as I struggled to fight him off.

He growled as I continued to fight, so he slapped me hard across the face, little stars popping up in my vision. I was fighting to regain focus when his body slumped, pinning me to the floor. I looked past his dirty blonde hair to see someone standing over us, silhouetted with the light spilling from the door and a large object held aloft over their head.

"Oh Isabella, are you alright." I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Adrienne, it's you." I started to push James' body off of me and managed with her aid. She helped me to my feet. "What are you doing here?"

She stared at me, bewildered, and I realized I had dropped my accent. She quickly came around, however, and began to explain while she gathered up the things I would need.

"I got a message from someone. They told me to tell you that 'The wolves have descended.' I don't know what it means, but they said I was supposed to come and get you, help pack what you need, and get you down to Edward immediately." She pushed the key into my hand, slung my bag on my back, and began to drag me out the door and down the hallway.

Once again, the halls were deserted. Only the sounds of our footsteps echoed off the walls. We stopped in front of the door, and she slipped the key into the lock. The harsh grating sound as it turned rang in my ears. I moved to pull the door open when I saw Adrienne begin to leave.

"Wait! Where are you going?" I asked, grabbing her arm. "I thought you were coming with us."

She shook her head. "I have nothing outside these walls."

I disagreed. "Yes, you do. You have a future. You can find a job, happiness, a brand new life."

She smiled and took my hand. "No. Helping you was my future. It was my job. It brought me happiness, knowing I was doing something to stop these bastards. I never had a life, and you gave me one." She turned to look behind her, letting my hand slip from her grasp. "I owe you my life, and I will gladly give it to know the Volturi will never live to do this again."

I tried to stop the tears that bubbled up in my eyes. She pulled me into a tight embrace before letting me go and running off down the hallway. She was running toward certain death, paying the ultimate price, while I walked toward the door, toward Edward, and toward freedom.

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A/N: So, that is the longest chapter I have ever written. And look where we are!!!! I know I took so long, but come on. That's what I gave you, and it took time to find how to word that right. Anyway, I hope you liked it. I already know what I want to happen next time. So hopefully it will be out sooner. Sorry about the wait. But, PLEASE REVIEW!!!!! Love you all!!!

AND NEW MOON WAS FREAKING AMAZING!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

-Truth in the Moon


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: I really have no words other than life is a bitch. And that I'm begging, once again, for you all to forgive me. Can I get some pity points if I start us off with a new POV? And the fact that I hope you still love me? Please tell me what you think. I had a reviewer say they'd like to see a new POV so… I'm sorry if it sucks…which it might. I haven't written in a while…

Thanks to karma0be11e for betaing for me. She's amazing. Go read her stuff!

Gonna warn you now, all hell's about to break loose…oh boy…

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New POV…

I shot out of bed, drenched in a cold sweat. I felt my wife stir beside me as I threw the covers off my legs and buried my face in my hands. My wife's warm hands ran through my hair as she snuggled into my side. I wrapped my arms around her as I tried to slow my heartbeat.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong? What happened?" She kissed my jaw while running her fingers up and down my spine.

My mind was reeling. Yanking the covers back, I climbed out of bed and crossed to the balcony doors. The air was crisp and cool, and goose bumps covered my body since I decided to forgo a shirt. The wind whipped around me, eliminating any traces of sleep. Leaning on the railing, I stared out into the large expanse of land before me. My wife's quiet footsteps sounded behind me, but I made no move to turn around.

"Please talk to me." Her nimble fingers traced delicate patterns on my back, the effect oddly soothing. I sighed heavily.

"I honestly don't know what to tell you. I'm afraid you'll say I'm going insane, that it's just the anxiety and worry talking." I turned around and opened my arms to her. She stepped in and wrapped her arms around me, burying her face into my bare chest. The scent of her hair filled my nose and mind as I curled my body around hers, protecting her from the cold and attempting to regain control of my emotions. "Then again, maybe I am insane."

She pulled away from me. She reached around my neck and pulled my head down to hers. Her eyes sought mine, and I could see the fire burning beneath the vibrant green that stared back at me.

"Do you really think so little of me? That I wouldn't trust my own husband?"

I hung my head. "I'm sorry."

The smooth skin of her hand caressed my cheek and lifted my face to look at her. "Come on. Let's get inside." She took my hand firmly in hers and pulled me back into our bedroom, shutting the doors behind us. We curled up on the bed, and she sat, waiting for me to begin.

"Well, it started off like all the other dreams I've had lately." I took her hand in mine, toying with the ring on her fourth finger. Her small fingers wrapped around mine, and I smiled gently.

"You mean the dreams about Edward?" she asked softly. I nodded.

"Like I said, it started off the same. It was the last night we were all together as a family, on his 25th birthday. Then, for some reason, it changed. Everything went dark. I couldn't see anything except for a small light far off in the distance. It started to grow, and I realized I was walking toward it. It took me a minute to figure out there was something on the floor, a body. I remember seeing the hair, and it was like someone had punched me in the gut. Blood was everywhere. He started screaming, and there was nothing I could do to get to him. He kept crying out, 'Save me. Help me, please.'" The tears ran hot down my face, and my hands were shaking. I looked over to my wife, her entire body trembling. I opened my arms, and she crawled into my embrace. Pulling her body against mine, she let out a shaky breath. "Is that when you woke up?"

I shook my head. "No. By the time I managed to get close, he faded away. After that, it was like someone had flipped a switch. It was so bright. Everything started running like it was in fast-forward, and I was watching it happen as though I was on the sidelines. He was running down a hallway, and then he was in a car with someone, and they were racing down some dark country road." I gripped her tighter. "I woke up when I saw an explosion on a freeway. It was the same car from earlier. The one Edward had been in."

She looked up at me, her eyes wide. "But it was only a dream. It wasn't real. It's not like you can see the future, like Alice claims she can."

"Who knows? Maybe it comes from me? But that's what scares me. I could have sworn it was real…"

Esme buried her face back into my chest. "Oh God, Carlisle…"

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Edward POV

_Edward, you've got to wake up…_

…Mom…

_Edward, can you hear me? Please wake up._

_Edward…_

_Please, Edward…_

_My little Debussy, I need you to wake up…_

My eyes shot open, thinking I'd find my mother's eyes but instead meeting the chocolaty depths of Bella's. I felt a tugging on my arm and looked around curiously before realizing that she was attempting to pull me to my feet. Awkwardly, I tried to help but lost my footing and fell back against the wall. My back smacked against the hard stone, and I couldn't help but cry out at the sharp sting of pain that shot up my spine. Bella was next to me in an instant.

"Oh, Edward, are you alright? Well, that was a stupid question…Here, lean on me. Come on, we've got to get out of here…"

She pulled my arm around her back, and we started toward the door. As the pain began to dissipate, I thought about what I had heard. I could have sworn Bella had called me by my old nickname, but I had also been dreaming of my mother. How she always called me 'her little Debussy' ever since I was a child. My heart wrenched with the pain of longing. But I couldn't dwell on that.

Bella was hustling us toward the door, and I had no idea why. I couldn't leave. The Volturi would kill both of us. My feet were moving of their own accord, following her steps, so I slowed them down to a point where I stopped moving. Bella kept walking, trying to pull me along, until she realized I wasn't going to budge.

"Edward, what are you doing? We have to get out of here now. We don't have a lot of time."

I shook my head. "Bella, we can't leave. They'll kill us. You know that."

She huffed before digging in her pocket, something tinkling lightly in its depths. Her eyes were bright with a determined fire as she shoved something cold into my hand. "If you want to see your family again, if you want to live, you'll shut up and do as I say. Understand me?" She grabbed my arm and began pulling me toward the door as I stared dumbstruck at the object in my hand.

Alice's charm bracelet.

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Bella POV

Edward followed along behind me quietly as we crept through the halls. I could hear yelling and screaming off in the distance, so I knew we were heading the right direction. Our best bet was to sneak out under the cover of the fight going on in the main hall. It was dangerous, and we risked the possibility of being shot, but someone on the inside managed to find one of the storage chambers where the Volturi kept some of their weapons and gear. The question now was where to find it.

We turned into a hallway with doors lining both sides. _Time to start looking, I suppose_. We quietly crept down the hall, Edward leaning against the wall as I peered into each room. I found several bedrooms and a broom closet, but they were useless for providing what we needed.

Halfway down the hall, a muffled explosion sounded not far off. We paused in the middle of the hall, my ears trying to pick up sounds of anyone or anything coming our way. Edward was pressed up against my back with his hands resting on my hips. He was trembling slightly, wondering what was going on. He was terrified and so was I.

I couldn't hear anything except a few scattered yells off in the distance. Grabbing Edward's hand, we took off down the hall as fast as he could manage. I flung open doors, looking long enough to get a decent idea of what was inside before moving to the next one.

We stood near the end of the hall, and I was working on opening the next door when I heard Edward move toward me. Worried he might be in pain, I turned around to see him staring wide-eyed toward the corner. I stopped my movements to listen but couldn't hear anything. Edward still didn't look away.

"Edward, what is it?"

His head barely shook, his brow knotted in confusion. "I don't know. I thought I heard something. Like footsteps or something like that."

I still couldn't hear anything but didn't think it wise to take chances leaving him out in the hall alone while I searched the room. "Come on. Get in here and help me look." I shoved the door open, cringing at the grating sound it made as it scraped along the floor. We fumbled for light before finding a switch on the wall and flicking it up.

Jackpot.

The far wall was lined with various weapons, but I went straight for the 9mm Glock 34 perched low on the wall. I pulled it down and checked the magazine to find it unsurprisingly empty. Rooting through several of the crates sitting on the floor, I found a box of rounds. Once the magazine was loaded, I turned to find Edward staring at me with a mixed expression of confusion, fright, and awe. He stepped toward me, his hand outstretched when a loud shout sounded in the hallway. He turned, and I pushed past him, poking my head out in the hall. I felt Edward come up behind me, leaning out over me to see what was going on.

"What's going on, Bella? What's all the shout—"

"Shit!"

Seconds after I threw myself back into Edward to force him into the room, the sound of splintering wood sounded as a bullet collided with the open door, exactly where Edward's head had been. A loud groan sounded behind me, and I turned to find Edward gripping the wall, hunched over in pain.

"Oh fuck. I'm so sorry, Edward." I started to walk behind him, but he wrapped an arm around my waist, stopping me.

"Don't worry about it," he hissed through clenched teeth. "It's not that bad. The pain's starting to go away."

In the quiet between us, I picked up the sound of footsteps treading slowly down the hallway. Gently as I could, I helped Edward wedge his body between the wall and shelf. Once I was sure he would be fairly safe, I slipped into a crouch behind a small stack of crates. My vantage point offered a clear shot at the door for anyone trying to get in, and I could also keep an eye on Edward.

The footsteps grew louder as my breathing became shallower. They slowed to a stop, and the very tip of a shiny black shoe could be seen poking around the corner of the doorway. Using the box as a stabilizer, I aimed at a point where I could do the most damage no matter who came through the door—if the person was tall, an easy shot to the chest to take out the lungs or heart; if they were short, a bullet straight to the head.

The hushed voices of two men floated across the silence in the room. It was nearly impossible to hear them, and they were speaking in a language I wasn't familiar with. The shoe visible in the door squeaked softly as the owner moved.

A large burly man appeared in the door, his gun drawn and ready to shoot. I didn't give him the chance. I pulled the trigger, sending a round straight into the man's right lung. He stumbled back, gasping for air and bumping into his partner. The partner didn't have a chance to raise his weapon before I leapt over my hiding place and shot him in the side of the head. He dropped his gun and it hit floor. The jolt from the ground triggered the pin, causing the gun to misfire. I dove out of the way as the bullet whizzed past my ear and crashed into the bookshelf behind me.

Oh shit, no…

I jumped up from the floor and ran to the bookshelf. A large sigh of relief escaped my lips when I saw Edward wiggling his body free. He reached out for me, and I helped him sit down on one of the crates in the room.

His eyes kept flipping back and forth between the bookshelf and me. His hands trembled in his lap, his fingers knotted together. The shaking slowed as I took his hands in mine, and he raised his head to look at me.

"Edward, are you alright? I know you're probably a little shell-shocked, and this is a lot to deal with. And what I did probably didn't help the matter—"

"Bella, you just killed two men!" Edward yelled, pulling his hands out of grasp. "Granted, now I think you're a total bad ass, but you also scare the shit out of me. What the fuck is going on?"

I sighed. "I can't tell you everything right now, but I promise to explain myself once—"

Gunfire echoed in the distance, and it was slowly growing louder. Footsteps sounded in the hall, and I spun around, shielding Edward and aiming at the door.

"Bella? Bella! Bella, answer me!!"

Confused, I crept toward the door. I peered around the doorway and was almost hit as a person came bolting into the room. We stumbled backwards, but I regained my balance first. Gun still in hand, I grabbed the intruder, locking both of her arms behind her back with one of mine, the other pressing the barrel of the gun into their throat.

"Who are you and how do you know who I am?" I growled.

She struggled against my hold, but I tightened my grip, pulling her arms up higher to hurt her. "Bella, it's me. It's Kate. I'm wearing a wig. They got me in under cover to help you get Edward out of here. Please believe me," she panted.

The voice sounded familiar, but I couldn't be sure. With the barrel against her back, I released her. "Don't turn around. If you say you're wearing a wig, take it off with whatever else is part of your disguise. I swear, if you're lying to me, I won't hesitate to bury a bullet in your head."

I backed away as her hands came up. They ran through her hair, tugging lightly at the scalp until it eventually started to rise. She bent over to pull it off, and the black, stringy mess fell to the floor. She stood up straight, and her dirty blonde hair fell down her back. I walked around her as she reached up and plucked the green contact lens from her eyes. She raised her eyebrow, and I smiled.

"Kate, what are you doing here? I know you said they brought you inside to help, but why wouldn't they tell me about it? I could have used you." I pushed her over to Edward as I pulled the door shut.

"I know, but they figured it would look suspicious if they bring in two new girls and they automatically know each other." She scratched at her scalp and rubbed her eyes. "Carmen actually sent me in quite a bit before you. I needed to get a feel of the place and gain the Volturi's trust so I would be allowed outside."

"Why would you need to be outside?"

"Because I was the one assigned to kill Luca."

I stiffened at her words. She had watched everything go on between us and would most likely know how involved I was. One look at her confirmed it.

"Kate, look, I know—"

She sighed. "I don't want to hear it, Bella. Yeah, you didn't follow protocol, but, all things considered, I think it helped you. Because of the feelings, Luca felt like he didn't have to worry about you turning on him, which made my job easier. And I won't tell Carmen."

"Thank you," I said gratefully.

"Don't worry about it." She stood up and crossed to the door, checking to see if anyone was in the hallway. "It's clear for now. Everyone must still be going at it in the main hall. I set off a small detonator under one of the tables. Killed several of the stronger guards, so that should help. But it also started a fire. I think it should have blocked the main doors, so the only way the ones trapped inside would be able to get out is through the side doors. Even then they'd have to take the long way around."

She slipped out the door before poking her head back in. "Come on. The screaming seems to be getting louder, so this is our chance. The men should be more concerned with getting the brothers and their women out then anyone running around. In any case, Bella, stay in front of Edward and as close as you can to him. Once we get to the grand foyer, run for it. There will be a car outside the doors."

That confused me. "What are you talking about? There's no car out there." I grabbed Edward's hand as we started to jog down the hall. I could hear him hissing in pain and his breathing was slightly heavy, but he didn't say anything if he was in immense pain. Squeezing his fingers reassuringly, I couldn't help but smile when he returned the gesture.

We turned down another hall and the cries and yelling grew louder. Kate stopped at the end, peering around the corner before answering me. "I was on my way down to you when I ran into another woman running across the foyer. I briefly heard her mention your name, so I stopped her. She said she knew you were trying to get Edward out and was going to help you."

Adrienne…

"She had a set of keys in her hand and said she stole them from the one of the guards. She wanted to make sure you had a sure means of transportation just in case. It should be waiting for you." I nodded, and we took off again. Every step we took increased the volume of the ruckus going on, until it was all that could be heard. We slowed to a stop and looked around the corner. Apparently the fire had gotten out of control.

The flames had consumed the giant wooden doors of the main hall and were working their way up the stairs next to it. Servants, guards, and a multitude of other people were running every which way, trying to figure out how to escape the growing inferno. I spotted a clear path to the door, and after pulling Edward up to me, nodded to Kate.

It was now or never.

She took off running, gun drawn and her finger on the trigger. I pulled mine out and, taking Edward by the arm, we followed after her.

About thirty yards short of the door, a loud cry sounded, and I felt a breeze as a bullet shot past my ear. I turned, spinning Edward behind me, to face whoever tried to shoot us. Coming down the fireless stairs was James; dried blood caked in his blonde hair and on the side of his face. He was livid and staring at me. He raised his gun to shoot again, but I was quicker. I hit him first in the shoulder, and he reached across his body to grab the wound. The second hit him, and although I wasn't sure where since I turned away, I knew it finished him as I heard his body hit the floor seconds later and nothing after that.

I looked back at Edward, but he was staring at the grand hall, his jaw locked and his face set. Following his line of sight, I looked to the fiery doorway. There among the chaos stood Aro, his mouth hanging open in disbelief. Marcus was draped over his shoulder, unconscious or dead. I couldn't tell.

Turning away, I pushed on Edward's chest, trying to get him to move toward the doors. He took a small step back but kept his eyes on the man behind the fire.

"Burn in Hell, you son of a bitch. That's where you belong." He reached down and took my hand, leading us to the door. We shoved it open, the cool night air a welcome relief for our heated bodies. Before the door shut, I took one last look at Aro. He still bore the same expression of shock and hatred before he disappeared behind the rising wall of flames.

* * *

Ok, so this is my longest chapter yet, I hope you liked it. Honestly, it's been a while since I've written anything, but I think this chapter was kind of badass. And I really liked this one. I'm starting on the next one right now, so keep your fingers crossed that it will come sooner. Maybe if you review it will help......? ;)

Please let me know what you think. I think this chapter deserves it!!!!!!! Love you all!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!! WOO!!! 2010!!!!


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: Hey. Since I kind of left the last one hanging at the door, here's the second part of their escape. Hope it's good. And if you knew how ridiculously hectic my life is, now coupled with a sinus infection and bronchitis and now have an infection in my lungs (and I am not making this shit up; I'm so miserable, why would I want to?), you might feel some smidge of pity for me. Again, I am really sorry with how long I kept you waiting. Please forgive me in my absence.

Thanks to karma0be11e for betaing for me!!! She's wonderful.

* * *

We slipped out through the door, letting it slide shut behind us. We took two steps before Kate appeared at our side and pulled us behind a bush. Edward grabbed his back as I put my hands on his chest to stop him from toppling over onto me. His eyes were closed and his breath escaped in a hiss. I could feel the muscles in chest contract and relax as he breathed, and it made me want to run my fingers all over his body. Shaking my head to clear the thought, I moved around behind him as we crouched and pushed up his shirt to assess the damage.

My fingers hit the edge of the bandage when Kate pulled me beside her and pointed ahead. In my rush to make sure Edward was all right, I failed to notice the car sitting idle. I was ready to grab Edward and make a run for it when two voices rang out in still night air, the horrific sounds inside silenced by the heavy wooden door.

I couldn't help the shiver that passed through my body when I heard someone speak, but my blood ran cold when I realized to whom he was speaking.

"You pledged your allegiance to us and then turned around and stabbed us in the back, Adrienne!" Caius shouted, his loathsome voice echoing off the old brick walls. "I think it's time for you to learn your place for the last time."

Adrienne dropped to her knees, her hands clasped in front of her as though in prayer. "Please, Sir, I heard them talking, saying they were running for a car out front, and I went to stop them. I would never cross you, I swear!"

He grabbed her by the hair and hauled her to her feet. "Liar!" Releasing her, he slapped her violently across the face, and she stumbled into the side mirror of the car. "You did this! You along with that bagascia Isabella!

"No, I swear I didn't. I haven't done anything. Please don't do this."

Caius cackled wildly as he reached into his pocket. His fingers wrapped around her throat as he slammed her backwards into the car. Adrienne whimpered as his grip tightened around her neck and she gasped, trying to inhale.

"You'll pay for your insolence." He laughed again as she clawed uselessly at his hand. "Much like your parents did."

Adrienne's eyes grew wide as his words rang in her ears. "Y-y-you…y-you di-did this t-to m-m-me?" she rasped.

"Yes, I was the one who ordered it. I can still hear your father begging, your mother crying from the bed. I can still remember the feeling. She was so wet, or maybe that was just from the blood…" Adrienne's hands balled into fists, and she swayed side to side, trying anything to loosen his hold. She rocked to the left as she swung her right leg up. Her knee connected with his stomach, and he recoiled, releasing her. Adrienne sucked in a much-needed breath as she collapsed against the window of the car.

"You bastard! You fucking bastard! You ruined my life. You killed my family. I'll kill you, you son of a bitch!"

He only laughed harder, the silver blade of the knife glinting in the light. "I don't think so."

The three of us called out as he swung. Adrienne tried to move but couldn't get far as the car sat behind her. A flash of silver, and she hunched over, her arms wrapped around her middle. Blood stained her shirt and dripped out over her arms, spattering to the pavement.

"You're nothing," Caius whispered, letting the knife drop. It clattered against the pavement as Adrienne dropped to her knees. "No one will miss you. No one even knows you exist."

The tears streamed down my face, and I held fast to the other two, my right hand gripping Edward's and my left holding Kate's arm. I caught a glimpse of silver as it disappeared behind Adrienne's arm and rested against her leg.

Caius bent down, put his finger under her chin, and lifted her face up to his. She stood shakily as he spoke.

"I imagine you don't have much time left. There is no one to help you. You're going to die alone. But don't worry; you'll see your parents again." He smiled, all his yellow teeth bared. "Say hello to your mother for me."

His laugh was cut short and all that was heard was a strangled cry, the handle of the knife protruding from his throat. He fell to his knees, blood pouring from his neck. Adrienne stumbled away from him, collapsing a few feet away. "I hope you rot in hell where you belong, you fucking monster!" Caius swayed before he slumped forward, resting in a crimson pool.

We all burst from our hiding spot, rushing over to Adrienne. Her breath was coming in short gasps and her eyes slid in and out of focus. She was losing blood fast.

"Adrienne, can you hear me? Listen, we're gonna get some help, just stay focused on my voice, okay?" Edward whispered to her. She smiled wistfully, her eyes closed.

"There's nothing we can do," Kate whispered.

Edward shook his head. "No, there has to be something."

My head shook infinitesimally. "He punctured her stomach. She has twenty minutes at most."

Adrienne's hand reached out for mine. I took it, feeling her fingers tremble in my grasp. "Even if you could do anything, I wouldn't want you to. All I've ever wanted is to see my parents again, and now I finally have the chance. Thank you for all you've done. You've given me a reason to live again, even if it was only for a short while."

She reached out for Edward, taking his face in her hands. "You better get the fuck out of here. You're living for me now."

"I promise," he said, a sad smile gracing his features.

"Good," she smiled. "Now get out of here."

She shoved us away and lied down on the hard stones. We scrambled to stand, Kate and I helping heave Edward to his feet. Kate climbed into the driver's seat as Edward and I crawled into the back. We took one last fleeting look at Adrienne before Kate threw the car in drive and we tore out of there, leaving the devastation behind us.

Edward POV

I sagged in the seat, relief washing over me and threatening to consume my mind and body. I couldn't help the soft sigh that escaped my lips as Bella's hands started skimming my back, her fingers picking at the bandaging. She hit a particularly sensitive spot, and I hissed as the tender flesh stung. She mumbled a soft 'sorry' before wrapping me back up and pulling my shirt back down.

Bella slumped down in the seat next to me, her arm resting over her eyes. I made myself as comfortable as I could and watched her. Her hair was in disarray, and soot and ash were smeared across her face from the fire. She groaned and swept her hair back from her face, and that's when I saw a faint purple bruise across her throat and a small cut across her cheek.

My blood was boiling. Someone had hurt her. Granted, after seeing her in action tonight, I knew she probably kicked the person's ass, but I couldn't help the rage that flowed through my body. The strange compulsion to protect her was overwhelming. Before I could dwell on it further, Bella shifted on the seat next to me. Leaning forward, she rested her cheek on the passenger's seat to talk to Kate.

"So, what do we do now? I don't feel optimistic enough to know we're in the clear, but I need some idea of what we're dealing with," Bella said, exhaustion present in her voice.

Kate laughed humorlessly. "You got that right. I hung around just long enough to hear them send out a call to all their members. They know something's going on, and they also have a picture of Edward. They're on the lookout for him. What we need to do is get you two out of Europe. As you know, the Volturi stay within Europe and parts of Russia. They wouldn't dare trek into the U.S. Not after the incident a few years ago."

Bella nodded while I sat there listening, not knowing what they were talking about. Silence hovered over us as the two women thought. Finally, Bella spoke.

"To get back to the States, what's our best bet?" she asked quietly. "I'm thinking the only way out by plane would be Heathrow…"

Kate nodded. "I think you're right. London's probably you're safest bet. They've almost completely eradicated the Volturi, so it should be fairly safe. But I think you'll have to wait until Edward heals completely." She looked at me through the rear view mirror. "I know some of our shadier connections won't give a shit if he's hurt or not. Hell, he could be dying, and they'd get you what you want. But since the attempt to take out the Prime Minister last month, they've tightened security like you wouldn't believe."

"What do you mean?" Bella asked. "I haven't heard about this."

Kate sighed. "I'm not surprised. Had you still been with Luca, there's a chance he might have told you, but they just don't tell anyone anything."

Bella sighed. "Yeah, I definitely know that."

"Well, they never said our jobs would be easy," Kate laughed. "Anyway, they're paranoid over there. They now search everybody, and if they see how bad Edward is, they're going to raise an alarm. We won't know if the Volturi will have someone watching Heathrow for you or not, so it's best not to raise suspicion if we don't have to."

Bella sat up and ran her fingers through her hair. "But, wait a minute. Caius is dead. Aro and Marcus were inside the fire, and I highly doubt they made it out. That was turning into an inferno. With the leaders gone, the rest of their little posse won't have a reason to follow their orders, will they?"

Kate shook her head. "I don't think that's the case, Bella. With all the chaos, I doubt anyone will get word out to tell them if the brothers are dead or alive."

"Yeah, you're right," Bella sighed before leaning back against the seat next to me. She closed her eyes and sucked in a huge breath. They didn't open, so I took the chance to just watch her for a while. No one moved, no one spoke; the hum of the engine was the only sound that permeated the air.

Out of the corner of my eye, I watched as Kate slipped a pair of ear buds in her ears before turning on an iPod. She glanced up and looked at me in the rearview mirror before nodding once and facing the road. I didn't have a clue as to what that was about, so I turned my attention back to Bella. I was content with just looking at her—the slow and steady rise and fall of her chest, the way her eyelashes fanned out across her cheeks, the way her lips would pucker slightly as she dreamt. I sighed before fidgeting again, trying to find a new but comfortable spot for my back.

"It's rude to stare, you know."

My head snapped up at the sound of her voice. Her eyes were closed, but a small smile played on her lips.

"I thought you were asleep?"

She shook her head. "Nope. And just because I have my eyes closed doesn't mean I can't tell when someone is watching me."

"What do you mean?"

Her eyes opened slowly. "Oh come on, Edward. Surely you've had that 'feeling,' you know, where you think that someone is watching you?"

I nodded.

"Well, that's it. Except in my field, that 'feeling' is a little more developed." She laughed softly. "Then again, everything is."

I stared at her pensively. "What is it you do, Bella? I mean, if that even is your name?" She laughed quietly again.

"Yes, that is my name." She looked at me, her eyes guarded. "After what you've seen tonight, what do you think I do, Edward?"

I couldn't help but chuckle. "Well, I'd say something along the lines of a female version of James Bond. Am I close?"

She smiled softly. "Bond. James Bond." I laughed loudly causing Kate to look up at me through the rear view window. She shook her head and looked away.

"That was, by far, the worse British accent I think I've ever heard." I smiled at her while she giggled.

"Oh really? Well, how's this one?" she quipped, her voice now full, lovely, and unbelievably British.

"Wow. No arguments here."

She smiled and curled her legs underneath her body. "Good. And you weren't too far off."

Before I could say another word, the car veered left and the road beneath us became rough. Bella shot up as Kate pulled her headphones out.

"Looks like we've got some company, Bells. You ready?"

Bella rolled her eyes. "Do you really have to ask, Kate?"

Kate laughed as she pushed a button on the ceiling. The sunroof began to retract as Bella dug around in the center console. She popped up a minute later, an HK Mark 23 in her left hand, a Glock 31 in her right. She climbed up on the seat and heaved her upper body up through the roof. Turning back, she shouted down at me.

"Edward, keep my legs steady and support me as best you can. If your back hurts you, stop and get down on the floor and keep your head below the window. Understand?"

"Yes," I called back as I grabbed her ankles and tried to recline against the seat with her feet resting on my knees. I slid down a little bit to try to keep my head low, but the movement pushed against my skin, causing it to burn. Kate looked back as I hissed in pain.

"Edward, are you alright?" I nodded, my teeth clenched together. Her eyes narrowed before she looked back at the road.

Bella shifted a little above me. "Keep us steady, Kate."

As soon as the words left her lips, flashes started behind us, the crack of the gun a nanosecond behind it. Something hard hit the roof, and I immediately thought Bella had been hit. I didn't bother speaking; the moment I opened my mouth, four shots rang out above my head followed by Bella's laughter.

"Ha. Take that, you stupid little fuckers." I couldn't help but smile. Gunfire rang out again, and I heard Bella hit the top of the car. She fired off two more shots before Kate turned around.

"Hold tight, Bella!"

The sound of metal scraping metal sounded overhead. "To what, Kate? I'm on top of a fucking car. What the hell are you doing?" Bella yelled.

Kate turned to yell again but whipped back around as the back windshield shattered. I felt the air move as the bullet flew past my face and watched the glass in the front windshield crack as the bullet passed through.

"Motherfucker cock sucking son of a bitch!" I looked up as I heard the string of profanities leave Bella's mouth. "Go, Kate! Go!"

"You got it!" Kate yelled, and she jerked the wheel to the right, the right side mirror clipping a tree as we made a rough u-turn around it. Bella twisted above me, and I went to grab her legs to steady her when I felt something warm and wet under my hand. I pulled back, and my fingers were covered blood.

"Oh shit…"

Kate looked back, eyes wide. "What? Are you hurt?"

I shook my head. "No, but Bella is." I held up my hand to show her.

"Fuck. Bella, hang on. We're getting out of here."

"Well it's about fucking time…" Bella grumbled. She fired off five more shots as Kate punched the accelerator. Kate reached into the glove box and pulled something out. She turned and dumped it in my lap.

"Here. Hand this up to Bella."

I picked it up and turned it over. "What is it?" She huffed and looked at me in the rear view mirror.

"It's a banana," she said sarcastically. "Who cares what the fuck it is?! Just give it to her if you want to get your ass back home in one piece."

Not arguing, I nudged Bella's leg. She leaned back so she could look at me. "What is it, Edward?"

"Here." I held up the black object, and she took it, grinning devilishly.

"Kate, you're a fucking genius!" she cried before fiddling with it. When she was done, she reared back and hauled off, throwing into the hood of the car behind us.

Kate yelled up to her. "Did it stick?"

I could see Bella smiling. "Like white on rice."

Kate grinned. "Excellent. Edward, get her back in the car. We're done with those fucktards."

I tugged on Bella's pants to get her attention. "Get back in the car." She nodded and began to shimmy her body back inside. I helped her as best I could until her head slid through the hole. She landed rather awkwardly in the seat beside me; her hair flopped over in her face. I let out a little chuckle and Kate gave a little snort of laughter.

Bella pushed her hair out of her face, trying not to smile as she got situated. "Oh shut up, you two. Kate, just get us out of here."

Kate laughed as we careened down a hill. We picked up speed as we crashed through brush, and I could hear the other car not far behind. I was waiting for them to overtake us, but that fear was short-lived.

The heat and air from the blast shot through the broken back window, and the world around us was bathed in bright light. The cries of the men faded into the background as we sped off. We crashed through a small row of shrubbery and pulled back out onto the road.

Kate and Bella broke out laughing. "God, Bella that was so fucking awesome! I haven't seen you in action in a long time. I forgot how good you were!"

Bella smiled. "Thanks, Kate. Nice driving, by the way. Damn, I thought you were gonna pitch me out of the car when you took that turn around the tree."

They broke out into fresh peals of laughter. "Now, would I do that to you?"

Bella snorted. "Uh, yeah. You threw me out of the boat in the middle of a chase at night during that massive drug bust in Jakarta, remember?"

"Oh yeah! That was funny. You should have seen your face!" She smacked the wheel as she tried to regain her composure. "That was a fun trip."

Bella nodded. "Yeah, it was."

She shifted in her seat, and her leg brushed up against mine. "Ouch! Shit…" She pulled her leg up to look at it. I glanced at the wound as she pulled her pant leg up.

"Shit, Bella." She looked up at me, surprised to find me staring at her. She offered a small smile before reaching under the seat for the supplies she used for me.

"I'm okay, Edward. I've had worse, trust me." She looked back down and began to clean it.

That statement didn't put me at ease. In fact, it scared the shit out of me. I couldn't help but wonder what mess I had gotten into and who these incredibly dangerous women were, but I did know that I was in trouble. Not with what was behind me, but what was sitting next to me.

I was seriously falling for the badass brunette on my right.

_I am so fucked_.

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A/N: So I hope that was enough to make up for the two month leave of absence. I really am sorry, but life was kicking my ass. I guess maybe it was a good thing I got pretty sick because it gave me time to write this for you all.

Please leave me some love in the form of a review!!!! Tell me what you think!!!


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: Oooookay, so show of hands. Who hates me?… Any takers? I wouldn't blame you. I've been gone for forever I know. I even understand if you gave up on me. I am extremely sorry. I had so much going on that I could barely keep up, let alone have any time to write. Please please please forgive my absence. I never meant to be gone that long. But I will stop harassing you so you can get to reading. I hope it's ok. Leave me some love. Or not. I'll understand. (But I would still love it!)

As a treat for you all, since I've been gone, I thought I'd let you know a little of Bella's back story. Maybe you'll find it interesting.

Well here you go.

Huge thanks to my wonderful beta – who decided to stick with me through my absence – karma0be11e. Read her stuff. Go. Do it.

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EPOV (Since it's been a while, I figured you might like this.)

At some point, my eyes drifted closed as the two women began reminiscing about past missions. I'm pretty sure I faded out when Kate began talking about certain exploits that were apparently necessary for that particular case. And I wasn't sorry I missed out.

I hadn't been out long when Bella's gentle hands were shaking me, her voice telling me to wake up. I opened my eyes and yawned, stretching my back and wincing when it stung. Looking toward Bella, I glanced at the countryside. There were a few hills gently sloping down toward a stream that cut through the fields. There were very few trees scattered about, but their branches were full of leaves. I could almost hear them rustling as the wind blew through them.

I could picture the vibrant green grass and the dark verdant leaves that clung to the swaying branches. My heart clenched in my chest, and my eyes stung. Just thinking about that reminded me of home. Of my parents, my siblings. I sighed and looked away.

Bella rested her hand on my shoulder, and I heard her suck in a breath to speak, but Kate cut her off.

"Bells, we're almost here. You should get what you need so you can get out without too much trouble and so I can make it out clean." Bella nodded and moved away, leaving me alone for the time being.

I didn't have long to brood. The car was pulling to a stop as Bella gathered the rest of the bandaging in her arms. I turned around and saw a tiny run-down town just down the road. My brow furrowed in confusion.

"Where are we?" I asked, looking from Bella to Kate and back.

Kate looked at Bella before speaking, their eyes silently sharing secrets. "Just a small town. The name isn't important as long as it does its job." With that, she turned around and focused on the road. She didn't need to tell me the conversation was over.

Kate slowed to a stop outside a dilapidated old building. A sign swung from a post that came off the brick/siding/stone, but it was hanging sideways, a symbol of neglect. The words and pictures that once adorned it had faded away, making it impossible to tell what the place used to be. Several of the windows were broken, and many had no glass left in them at all. The paint peeled off the siding and fluttered away in the breeze; the door looked like it was barely hanging on the hinges. All in all, it did not look like a pleasant place to stay for the night.

"We're staying here?" I asked with trepidation. It looked like the perfect place for the Volturi brothers to house some of their less than pleasant cohorts.

Bella looked at me and nodded. "Yes. We're not going to stay here for very long. We just need to get things…sorted out, and then we'll be on our way."

"We need to keep a low profile, so excuse us if we don't decide to make a reservation at the Ritz," Kate quipped from the front. She turned to look at Bella. "Okay, Bella. You need to get moving. We don't have a lot of time."

Bella nodded and grabbed my hand. She pulled me from the confines of the car and tugged me toward the sad building. Wrenching the door open, she peered inside before turning to me. "Here. Hold these."

She dumped the first aid supplies into my arms before extracting a gun and a flashlight from somewhere in the heap. "Wait here." Without another word, she clicked on the light, held the gun aloft, and crept inside.

Even though it was only minutes, it felt like ages before she reappeared, slipping the gun into the waistband in the back of her pants. She nodded to Kate who sped off down the road before turning right and disappearing from view.

"Come on, Edward. Let's get you cleaned up," said Bella. She gripped my bicep and steered me inside. With the flashlight as our guide, we ascended the stairs together, avoiding the places where the wood had started to rot away. When we came to the second floor landing, I was surprised to find a door ajar and see a room bathed in soft, golden light. Bella pushed the door open fully and led me inside.

There were scraps of cloth on the floor and wood pieces scattered about. A musty, old couch sat alone in the corner with a sheet haphazardly thrown over it. Gas lamps hung cold and lifeless along the walls. But what interested me was the setup in the middle of the room.

A battery-powered lantern sat in the center of a small table, its surface covered with papers and various other things. Two old wooden chairs sat on either side, and a few cushions were scattered around it. A decent sized cooler was pushed against one end of it, its top open to reveal bottles of water and a bit of food. My stomach growled, and I moved to cover it, but Bella shook her head at me and walked forward. I had no choice but to follow.

"Make yourself comfortable. We shouldn't have long to wait." Bella motioned to the chairs and the cushions before flopping down on the floor, pulling a cushion behind her head, and closing her eyes.

There were so many questions floating around in my head—questions I was positive Bella could answer—but she had been through so much already on my account and she had to have been tired, so I dumped the supplies on the floor and sat down in one of the chairs.

From my vantage point, I had a clear view of her as she dozed. But it almost felt wrong to look at her. This whole situation was confusing, and Bella herself was an enigma, so it did nothing to help the headache already beginning in the back of my head.

I leaned forward and buried my face in my palms. I shoved the heels of my hands against my eyes, my fingers tugging at my hair. My body ached, my stomach was empty, and none of my questions were answered. I couldn't help the growl that escaped my lips. Worried she might have woken up, I looked to find her eyes moving beneath her lids as she shifted minutely on the makeshift pillow. She didn't move again, and I breathed a sigh of relief, happy to have maybe done something right.

"Edward?" Bella's soft voice asked. I smacked my forehead with my hand, pissed at myself that I had actually disturbed her sleep. I felt like an ass.

Lifting my head to respond, I saw Bella sitting upright and staring straight at me. I sighed. "Yeah, Bella?"

Instead of speaking, she crawled over to my chair and took my hand. She tugged on it gently before patting the nearest cushion in front of her. Carefully, I slid from the chair and situated my rear so I was comfortable while I waited for her to grab her own seat. She perched herself in front of me, cross-legged with her hands resting in her lap. I looked down and played with the torn hem of my pants. Her stare was slightly unnerving. It made me feel like she was seeing right through me, much like my father's did.

"Edward, look at me." Her tone was gentle but firm, so I slowly lifted my eyes to meet hers. She offered me a small smile, which I hesitantly returned. "Edward, I know you must have a million questions for me. And I'm sorry I haven't been able to tell you anything. But you have to believe me; it was for your own good."

I nodded, used to that answer by now. It doesn't mean it was what I wanted to hear, and Bella knew that. But I wasn't expecting her next statement.

"Tell me what you want to know."

My head snapped up. I expected her to be sitting there with a smile on her face, telling me she wasn't being serious. Instead, I found her sitting upright with her hands clasped together, her mouth relaxed and her eyes focused on me. I had to look like a fish, my mouth opening and closing as I struggled to find the right words.

"I—but—you—Are you serious?" I managed to stutter out.

Her eyebrow rose. "Would I be asking if I wasn't, Mr. Cullen?"

I leaned back, surprised at the use of my surname. "No. I suppose not."

"Then you 'supposed' right." She looked at me expectantly. "Well?"

"Well what?"

She smacked the ground with her hands. "Damn it! Are you really that thick? Ask me what you want to know. This is your opportunity. I'm pretty sure we're not going to get this chance again. Not if everything goes according plan, hopefully," she said, the last part barely a whisper. If I hadn't been paying attention, I would have missed it.

"Oh. Well," I started, but paused. Now that I had the chance, I had no clue what to ask. Bella sighed with impatience. "Okay. It seems like you're some kind of spy-woman-badass-person, so what is your name? Your real name."

She sighed again, but this time, it sounded more resigned. "I didn't lie to you, just so you know. My name is Isabella, and my coworkers do call me Bella. My full name is Isabella Marie Swan. Is that it?"

I shook my head. "No, I have more. But I'm just kind of surprised you would use your real name. Anyway, where are you from? What do you parents think of this?"

At the mention of her parents, her shoulders hunched and she looked down, unwilling to meet my eyes.

"My parents didn't know anything about this. I attended the University of Chicago and was trying to finish grad school when I got mixed up in a drug deal. And no, I wasn't doing drugs. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I was walking home from a bar with a couple of friends when I heard shouting down an alley. Someone might have been hurt, so I started walking toward the noise. When I got closer, I saw a group of guys arguing. They were shouting about payment of some type. I didn't know what they meant until I heard the name 'Big Frankie' come up."

That threw me for a moment. "Wait. Isn't he some big mafia boss in Chicago?"

Bella nodded and smiled. "Was."

I was puzzled. "What do you mean 'was'?"

"I had another assignment before yours," she said with a small laugh. "About a month ago, some of the other agents and I managed to bring Frankie down. The day before your case was assigned to me, I was sent to…eliminate the few remaining members of his mob. That was quite fun."

"Oh," I muttered, pretty sure I knew what she meant by 'eliminated' and positive I really didn't want to know the details. "Anyway, what happened after you heard about Frankie?"

"I didn't want to get into anything I shouldn't, but part of me wanted to know what was going on. I guess I was hoping I could get some information to turn over to the police. Although, that would have been useless. He had half the force in his pocket at one point. Still, I was curious, so I ducked behind a dumpster to listen and peeked around the corner to see what was going on.

"I remember seeing a man being pushed up against the wall by two others. They kept going on and on about money he owed. Then they brought up the cocaine dump. I'm sure you heard about that, at Burnham Park Harbor?"

I nodded.

"Well, they started wringing him for that too. And the whole time, he kept claiming he didn't do it. But any idiot could see he was lying."

My curiosity was piqued. "How can you tell? When someone is lying to you?"

She smiled. "Everybody is different when they lie. Some people have little 'ticks' that show when they lie. They play with their hair, they touch their face, they tug on their clothes. Some people sweat more. Many can't keep eye contact with their person they're lying to. But a big giveaway is when they offer up too many details."

"How is that a giveaway?" I asked. "Surely it would mean they have a better alibi, right?"

"That's exactly what they want you to think," she said conspiratorially. "By offering more details, the person tries to make you believe they were really there. But mostly, they say too much because they want to draw your mind away from what's really happening. It's a distraction. They want to confuse you."

Now I was confused. "Then how do they come up with that on the spot? I have a hard time coming up with the right thing to say when I'm not in trouble. Actually, I have a hard time anytime, unless I'm writing it down."

Bella laughed and patted my hand, the hairs on my arms and neck standing up at her touch. "Because every lie has some semblance of truth, and that's what they build off of. Plus, when they say it, that's when they sound the most confident. Take the cornered man, for example. The first thing he said was the truth. He ate dinner at the Greek Islands restaurant that night and had the taramosalata for starters, the mousaka for his meal, and finished the meal with sokolatina and a glass of wine. All of them are very good, by the way. I highly recommend the place."

I smiled at her, and she grinned back. But I still wasn't quite getting what she was saying. "So what does that have to do with it?"

"Because, after he finished explaining his wonderful dinner, he began to make things up. His voice shook, he couldn't look them in the eye, and he started to sweat even more than he was before."

"Okay, then what happened?" I asked, leaning forward.

"He started swearing that he didn't leave the restaurant until it was near closing. He said he was so full that he went home and fell asleep. The two men started shouting again, claiming they had pictures of him at the harbor. By that point, he knew he couldn't weasel his way out, so he shut up."

"I bet they weren't happy about that," I muttered.

Bella shook her head. "No, they weren't. After that, well…"

She paused and looked away. I leaned forward, eager to hear more. "Well, what?"

Looking me in the eye, she took a deep breath before speaking. "That was the first time a saw a person die right before my eyes."

I inhaled sharply and leaned away. "Oh my God, Bella. I—I'm…"

"No, don't say you're sorry for me. Because if I hadn't seen that, I wouldn't be doing what I am today. We might not have brought down Frankie, your brother could be dead, and I wouldn't be here rescuing you. I'm not saying I've wanted to kill people all my life, but knowing that I'm helping millions of others in return makes it a little easier to sleep at night." She looked up at me with a tiny, wavering smile, but her eyes were still filled with sadness.

"So, after that, what happened?" I asked quietly.

"Well, I couldn't help but gasp at what I saw, but the two men heard me somehow. I took off running down the alley, and I could hear them not far behind. I tried to get inside an old movie theatre that had shut down, but the doors were locked. I turned to go find another place to hide, but they were standing in front of me, a gun shoved in my face.

"I told them I wouldn't say anything, but they laughed at me, saying they knew I wouldn't say anything because I'd be at the bottom of Lake Michigan with the other guy. Somewhere close to me, I heard a gun cock, but I assumed it was the men, so I closed my eyes and covered my face with my arms. A shot rang out, and I started screaming, thinking they were messing with me. When I didn't hear a second, I opened my eyes to find one of the men on the ground in a pool of blood with the other one tearing off down the street."

"What?" Now I was lost again. "How did that happen?"

"Shush, I'm getting there." Bella shook her head at me. "I looked around, trying to figure out what had happened when I felt someone grab my arm and pull me around to the side of the building. When they let go, I turned to thank them, but all I got was a rag stuffed in my face. That's all I remember until I woke up a few hours later on a cot in a small room with no lights."

I was mortified. "So Frankie got you then? How in the hell did you escape?"

She laughed at me. "No, Frankie didn't get me. After I woke, I started calling out for someone. Eventually, I heard a key in the lock and a woman came into the room. She set down a tray of food in front of me and told me to eat while she explained everything.

"Apparently, the goon that got away had given Frankie's men a description of me, so they were now on the lookout. The woman said it would only be a matter of time before they came looking for me, and if they didn't find me, they were going to go after my family instead. I lost it. Because I was nosy and wanted to be a hero, I had put my family in danger. I started asking if there was anything I could do. That's when she explained everything to me."

"So you were safe, then?" I asked.

"Yes, I was safe. Well, for the time being, anyway," she replied. "I was told that my only options were to come out and let Frankie deal with me, or I could join forces with her and try to bring him down. I chose the latter, obviously."

"So, what did your parents think of this?" I asked. Surely they couldn't be okay with their daughter risking her life like this, could they?

She looked down and started picking at her nails. "Well, um, my family doesn't know. They never knew. I was told that no matter what option I picked, I would never see them again."

Dumbfounded, I stared at her. I couldn't even imagine. To have her entire life ripped away from her in the course of an evening just because she wanted to do a good deed was a cruel twist of fate.

"God, I'm so sorry, Bella."

She shook her head. "Don't apologize. It's not like it's your fault. Besides, they don't have to worry about me. A few days later, there was a fire in a building I used to have class in. Many students got out fine, a few had several burns, but they found a body completely charred and unrecognizable. Not even dental records would have worked. The only clue was the I.D. that managed to stay somewhat intact. That was the day I died."

I couldn't speak. My hand covered my mouth as I tried to grasp Bella's situation, but it was impossible. But before I could say anything, she spoke again.

"My family had a private ceremony back in my home town, and I created a whole new life for myself with the help of my new coworkers. They are the only family I have now."

"But what about your parents? Don't you know how they're doing, at the very least?" I asked.

"My mom and dad got divorced when I was young. I lived with my dad up until I was about 16 before I moved with my mom to Jacksonville to live with her and her husband Phil. I saw them all for the holidays before everything changed. I still kept tabs on them after that. But about a year after I joined, I was informed that a drunk driver had hit my mother and Phil. Phil was killed instantly and my mother was thrown from the car and died a few hours later in the hospital. My father was killed two years later. He was the Chief of Police back home and was shot during a bank robbery. At least I was lucky enough to be able to go to the funerals."

My heart broke as I listened to her story, and I mentally berated myself for asking questions in the first place. All I wanted to do was take her in my arms and hold her.

"I know my story doesn't have the happiest of endings, but if I can get you back home and into the arms of your family, that's all that matters to me. Doing things like this is, in a way, my happy ending. Helping others find theirs. And that makes me happy."

Bella sat back on her hands, her eyes staring at nothing in particular as we let the silence envelope us. I wasn't sure how long we sat there before she shifted, the movement catching my eye. She crawled across the floor to the cooler and began rummaging around. She lifted out a bottle of water and held it out toward me. I nodded, and she made her way back to her seat, and bottle in each hand. I took it gratefully and drank the entire thing in one go. She smiled and took a drink of her own before setting it down and looking at me again.

"So, any more questions?"

I looked at her, almost afraid to delve into this again. But she had a smile on her face and seemed willing to answer my questions, so I decided to go for it again. Except I thought I'd stay with a more interesting, less personal topic this time.

"Alright. So, how many cases have you been on?"

Her eyes lit up, and I leaned back against the chair, ready to listen.

* * *

A/N: So, how was that? I hope it was good since I've been gone for so long. Please let me know. I have an idea of what I want for the next chapter, and if it goes according to plan, it should be more action-packed.

IMPORTANT: So, I'm curious to know what you readers would like to see. I rated this the way it is because of the action-y stuff and the language and the murdering of various people. But I also kept in mind the possibility of lemons. Is that something you would like to see or not? Because I know what I want to happen, but if you wanted some 'fun times' for them, they would fit in too. Let me know in a review or a pm. PLEASE! This is your chance to get involved in the story.

Also, SIDE NOTE. Edward's point of view has really been working well for me, but I'm feeling like I should change it up again soon. But if you like him, I'll keep writing with him. But if you'd like to see Bella or someone else's point of view, PLEASE TELL ME! I will be more than happy to write as Bella, and I can try to work someone else in as well. BUT YOU NEED TO VOICE YOUR FEELINGS. Please and thank you.


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: So, you all seem to have mixed feelings about whom you like hearing from, so that didn't really help me all that much. I hope this is okay. I plan on getting back to more action soon. I just want to make sure I have all the bases covered so I don't lose anyone along the way. Besides, I just want to tell a little about Edward's history.

This chapter is probably going to seem out of character, but I wanted to add some humor before the shit hits the fan. Plus, I just wanted to make an uncomfortable Bella in the story just once, and it was fun to write this.

Thanks to karma0be11e for being a completely wonderful and amazing beta because she just is.

* * *

Bella POV

We whiled away the time just talking. Our pasts, our likes, our dislikes; for once, it was nice not having to think about the case. I didn't have to think of Edward as a job like I usually did. It was just…nice.

I wasn't sure how long we had been talking when I heard a soft creak coming from the stairs followed by two sets of footsteps. Edward closed his mouth immediately and looked at me, unsure of what was going on. Placing a finger to my lips, I silently pulled my gun out and positioned my body in front of his.

"Edward," I whispered, "if I give you an order, do exactly as I say and do not hesitate. Do you understand me?"

His warm breath fanned across my neck, tickling my skin as he spoke. "Why? Are we in danger? I thought you said we were safe here."

I held in a sigh as the footsteps grew louder. "Edward, this is not the time for questions. Do you understand me?"

"Bella—" His voice stopped, as did the two sets of feet. I lifted my gun higher, aiming for the center of the door. My grip tightened as we waited.

_Knock knock knockknock knock_…Shave and a haircut. How original…

I exhaled loudly and lowered my gun. Edward tensed behind me, so I reached back and patted his leg gently before I opened my mouth.

"Two bits." My voice was just a bit more than a melodic murmur, but I knew they could hear me on the other side of the door because they couldn't contain the light giggles as the door opened.

"We thought you'd enjoy that, Bells," Kate said as she crossed over to us and sat down on the other side of the table, a small smile gracing her lips.

I shook my head. "Yeah, well, you two nearly gave me a heart attack. I was ready to shoot you and throw Edward behind the couch or something."

Irina laughed as she pulled up a cushion next to Kate. "You know, I wish I could tell you to relax, but you'd probably just want to put a bullet in my head. You're so uptight sometimes, Bella."

"Yeah, I know, but—"

"It's part of the job. We know," they answered. I shook my head at them before moving to sit down beside Edward.

Before I could say anything, however, Kate decided to speak again. "But seriously, Bells, you should take a break after this case. Go disappear for a bit; unwind."

"Yeah," Irina agreed. "Lord knows you need to get laid." Kate cracked up laughing beside her as they both let out loud peals of laughter.

Now, being a secret agent, one would think I would never be embarrassed by anything. Yet, I could feel my face flush, the heat reaching all the way up to my hairline and down to my toes. I leaned forward and buried my face in my hands, groaning loudly.

"Before, I didn't want to put a bullet through your skull. Now, I'm starting to reconsider." As if my mortification wasn't bad enough, they had said all of that in front of Edward. Edward, who was, essentially, my job. Edward, who was unequivocally gorgeous, yet unobtainable. Edward, who was now shaking with silent laughter beside me. In all honesty, I would rather have taken another bullet wound in the leg. I just didn't do well with suggestive humor directed at me.

"Alright, that's enough," I said, looking up at the two of them. They were wearing identical Cheshire cat grins.

Kate stuck out her lip. "Aw, c'mon, Bella. We were just trying to help. You really might feel better if you would just let someone pet your kitty."

Of course, Tweedledum had to add her two cents. Or quarter. However one would choose to look at it. "Yeah. I'm sure you can find a guy who'd be more than happy to become acquainted with the lips between your hips."

"Get his stuff in your muff."

"Insert pole 'P' into slot 'V'."

"I'm sure there's a pooh bear who wants to get into your honey pot."

"Okay!" I half-yelled as I slammed my hands down on the table. "Can we please stop talking about this?"

Kate and Irina looked at each other. "We?" Kate said, smiling. "I didn't know you wanted in on this, Bells. Pray tell us. We're dying to know what you lovingly call your puss—"

"Oh, for the love of God. Please stop talking about my vagina." I wasn't sure they even heard me considering Thing 1 and Thing 2 couldn't prevent the cackling that erupted from them. Horrified and embarrassed beyond belief, I grabbed my gun and headed out the door, slamming it shut behind me. Trudging down the stairs, I made my way through the front and out onto the broken steps in the front of the building.

It wasn't abnormal for the women to make fun of my love life. Or lack thereof. Still, I was in the middle of a case, we all were in a serious state of danger, and they still had the gall to do that. And in front of Edward Cullen, the man I was assigned to protect and bring home safely. Now, I didn't even want to face him.

And yet, I was the unluckiest person on the face of the Earth.

I heard footsteps behind me, so I tensed, my hand resting on my gun just in case. But I knew I had nothing to worry about. The slight hiss of pain followed by the slow footsteps told me exactly who it was. Regardless of whether or not I wanted to see anyone, I would prefer the lesser of the three evils.

Edward slowly sank onto the step next to me, giving nothing more than a little grunt of pain before we lapsed once more into silence. It wasn't long before he sighed lightly and reached out to me. His large hand rested lightly on my knee before he gave it a gentle squeeze. I looked over at him to find him staring at me. His head was turned slightly to the side, his emerald eyes looking into mine, the skin between his brows puckered.

"Are you alright, Bella?"

I let out a humorless chuckle. "Let's see. My co-workers decide I need to have sex in order to lighten up, they come up with crude names for my female anatomy, use crude names in order to prove their point about me needing to have sex, and do all of that in front of the man I have been assigned to rescue and protect while in the middle of an incredibly dangerous situation. I think that sums up my mortification quite nicely, don't you think?"

I turned away from his face and looked up at the sky. He gave a small laugh while I counted the stars. His fingers brushed my kneecap lightly causing me to look back at him. "So, I take that as a 'no'?"

My lips stretched into a small smile. "Well, it's definitely not going to make my lists of Top Ten Favorite Conversations or Nights, that's for sure."

He laughed once more, and I couldn't help but join him. When we quieted, he spoke. "If it makes you feel any better, I probably know what you're going through."

"I doubt that."

He smiled. "Bella, I think you're forgetting who I'm related to."

I looked at him curiously. "No, I haven't. Emmett Cullen and Alice Whitlock. Trust me, I've done my homework."

"That's not what I mean. I grew up with siblings. It's in our DNA to torment and embarrass the shit out of each other."

I shook my head. "You can't tell me that your siblings are like Tweedledee and Tweedledum up there. Your sister is one of the world's newest up-and-coming fashion designers. Last I checked, Michael Kors and Diane von Furstenberg don't partake in that kind of conversation. And your brother Emmett is the best prosecuting attorney in Boston. I've yet to meet a lawyer with a sense of humor."

"Well, you obviously haven't met my brother," Edward said.

"Actually, I have."

He turned to look at me. "When?"

I sighed. "I met him, and your father, mother, and sister, when I went to Forks. I flew out there to gain information about you and set up the matter of payment. Which reminds me, you need to do something for me when we get back."

"After everything you've done for me, anything."

"Tell your father not to complain when he finds out 7 million dollars have magically reappeared in his bank account. And that he's not allowed to try to put it back in mine."

Edward's eyes widened slightly before narrowing again. "That's how much they're paying you?"

Shifting uncomfortably, I answered, "No, they were, uh, going to pay me 9 million. We only wrote the contract for 1.5 initially."

"Well shit," Edward said, looking away before looking back to me, "I would have paid you a whole hell of a lot more than just 9 million."

I groaned. "Not you, too?"

He laughed. "Alright. I won't fight you on it. Although I still think you deserve more. And I will tell my father."

"Thank you."

"But, my father has many, many connections. He has ways of returning it," he said as he rested his head in his palm.

"That may be true, but I, too, have ways. And they don't always involve beating the shit out of someone or using a gun," I countered.

Edward just chuckled lightly and shook his head. "Yeah, although if you really got to know my brother, the Emmett I know, you probably would need to beat the shit out of him _and_ use a gun just to get the torture to end."

"He can't be that bad. He was very professional when I spoke with him."

"Of course he was. He was doing business at the time, the way you described it," he said softly. He glanced down at the ground.

"Edward, he wasn't 'doing business.' He was trying to get his brother back, and money is a part of that. He was only doing what he could, and that meant taking some of the burden off of your father's shoulders." I gently reached up and slipped my hand onto his arm and giving it a gentle squeeze. "You miss him, don't you?"

Edward looked up at me, his eyes far away. "Yeah, I do. I miss all of them."

For some reason, it pained me to see him hurting. It felt weird, like I shouldn't want to do anything about it, but I did. In fact, I was pretty sure it went against some rule. We weren't supposed to care about or develop any sort of feelings toward people involved in our cases, but I already had.

I slid closer to him and wrapped my arm around him, my hand curling around his bicep as I rested my head lightly on his shoulder. "Tell me about them."

Looking up out of the corner of my eye, I could see him turn his head to look down at me. He looked confused at first, but then gave me a small grin. "I don't even know where to begin."

I gave his arm a squeeze. "Well, I told you about my family. Don't you think it's only fair you do the same?"

"Yeah, I suppose," he nodded.

"Tell me about your mom and dad," I offered. "Your dad seemed like a very nice man when I met him, although the circumstance wasn't exactly pleasant."

He laughed. "You've got that right. Well, even though I'm sure you already know everything about my family, I'll just repeat it."

"Hey, you don't know that," I said, nudging him lightly as not to hurt him.

He smirked at me. "I thought you said it was your job to know everything? Or was that just a bunch of bullshit?"

I rolled my eyes. "Shut up. Are you going to tell me, or what?"

"Alright. Fine," he said with a smile, patting my hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. "Well, my father Carlisle is considered to be one of the best surgeons in the world. He has perfected the art of performing surgery through a computer to operate on someone in another country. Robotics and whatnot. I don't really get it. But I do know he's saved hundreds of thousands of lives through his research. Now, he lives in Forks with my mother. He's the Chief of Surgery at the hospital there."

I laughed. "Okay, I did know all of that, so you did repeat everything. Can you tell me anything about him that most people wouldn't know?"

"I told you," he said, elbowing me in the ribs. "He'll kill me if he finds out I told you, but he loves chick flicks."

I laughed loudly. "Are you kidding me?"

He smiled. "No, I'm completely serious. _Pretty Woman, Legally Blonde, Miss Congeniality_, you name it. _Pretty Woman_ is his favorite, but he has a 'thing' for Sandra Bullock."

"Yeah, well, who wouldn't?"

My eyes widened a bit as I realized I had, in fact, said that last bit out loud. I peeked up at Edward to find him looking at me with a look of confusion but a smirk threatening to take over his face. "Oh really?"

Lifting my head up, I nodded. "Well, duh. Come on, a) she's hot, and b) she's hilarious. You can't tell me you don't think that. I'm comfortable enough with my sexuality to say that. Besides, you can't tell me that you don't think there is one male actor out there that you find attractive."

He paused before nodding slightly. "Well, you're right with the Sandra Bullock thing. She is hot, and absolutely hilarious. But, are you asking if there was a celebrity I'd go gay for? Because I have nothing against gay people, actually I think one of my colleagues is gay, but I am definitely heterosexual."

I couldn't help but laugh, and laugh hard. He looked a bit disgruntled, so I dialed it down until I was only giggling slightly before shaking my head.

"No, I didn't mean you'd have to go gay for him. I just wanted to know if you found a celebrity attractive."

"Well, I guess Gerard Butler. He kicked some serious ass in _300_. He was also really funny in _The Ugly Truth_. I love both of those movies."

I nodded along with him. "I'm definitely going to have to agree with you on that."

We had gotten way off topic, but before I could say anything, he started up again. "I guess going to back to our previous conversation, that's a little about my dad. I suppose my mom is next.

"My mom is, well, she's probably one of the kindest, most generous people on the planet. Yeah, you're thinking I'm biased, but everyone who's met her has said that, and much more, about her. She was an interior decorator, but she quit after she had Alice. She wanted to spend more time with us. But after that, she got really involved with volunteer work. She got all of us into it, too. I can't say it was what I wanted to do work every weekend, but I was 14. I thought I had better things to do, you know?" I nodded.

"Anyway, she used to spend a lot of her time at women's shelters and food pantries. That's where I spent most of my Sunday evenings up until I was 18 and had to leave for college."

"Wow. Your parents made you do that for five years?" I always knew my parents wanted me to do something like that, but I never would have imagined anyone's parents making them go that long. I was surprised when he shook his head and smiled.

"No, the last time she had to remind me about it was the week after my sixteenth birthday. I was just excited about my new car so it almost slipped my mind. Other than that, I never missed a Sunday. I still don't."

Now I was in awe. "You still do it?"

"Yup," he answered proudly. "Although, my perfect record seems to have shot down the tube with this whole kidnapping debacle."

"You know, I don't think they'd fault you because you missed a few days. I think being beaten, whipped, and almost starved gives you a reprieve." He chuckled and smiled softly.

"Thanks, Bella," he said, giving my hand another squeeze. "And thanks for listening. Talking about my family makes it a little bit easier. It doesn't hurt to miss them as much."

"It's nothing. Besides, I'm just waiting for you to tell me about your siblings and the supposed torment from them. I still don't believe you."

He only laughed. "When I tell you some of the things they've done, you still won't."

"Try me. One thing they've done."

"Alright. When I was a sophomore in college, somehow we all ended up in the same res hall. Emmett was a year above me, Alice a year below. Anyway, I ended up in some really tough classes that required me to spend all my free time studying, so I didn't get to see them or any of my friends, and I was irritable all the time. They kept telling me I needed to blow off some steam."

"In other words, have sex, right?" I asked wryly.

"Exactly."

"Well, that doesn't sound too bad. That's still nothing compared to what my colleagues just did to me."

He laughed. "No, but putting up posters in every res hall with my picture, name, phone number, room number and some slogan referencing my penis is. And I don't mean just one slogan. They spent an entire night coming up with over 40 different ones. I lost count of the number of girls who would show up at my room at all hours of the night. Lost count of the number of guys too. God, it was mortifying."

I was lucky I was holding onto Edward for support, or else I would have been rolling on the ground with how hard I was laughing. He scowled at me before shaking his head and allowing a few chuckles to escape.

"So, now do you understand what I meant when I said 'I know what it's like'?"

I nodded, trying to keep my giggling under control. Taking a breath to get myself under control, I smiled up at him. "Okay, so you do know what it's like. I'm sorry I doubted you. I just couldn't see your brother and sister doing something like that."

"It's alright. Looking back on it, it was rather funny. And I have to give them credit. They were pretty creative," he said with a small chuckle.

A loud creak sounded behind us, so I turned around to see which goon had decided to come down. "Hey, Whisker Biscuit," Kate called out, highlighting it with another one of her 'clever terms,' "we need to fill him in on what's going down and how we're going to get him back to the States."

I nodded and stood as she turned and retreated back inside. Holding my hand out, I felt Edward's slip into it. Together, we gently hauled him to his feet with only minimal pain. We headed toward the door when I noticed Edward had stopped walking. I turned around to find him staring at the ground looking slightly dejected.

"Edward, what's wrong?" I asked, stopping in front of him.

"I guess the fun part's over, right?" he sighed. "You know, it was just nice to talk to someone who didn't care if I was a Cullen. Who only talked to me because they knew how much money my family had. I know it's your job to get me back to my family, but you didn't have to ask me about them. You didn't have to listen. You just did it anyway."

Before I could say anything, he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around me. His scent swirled around me, permeating the air. The heat from his body warmed my skin, a tingling feeling spreading throughout my entire body. I wanted that feeling to last for forever, but it was wrong. I eased myself away from him and his gentle embrace before putting on a strained smile.

Taking his hand in mine, I started tugging him toward the stairs. His thumb brushed against my knuckles, so I turned to look at him. A crooked smile graced his handsome feature, and I couldn't help but quirk my lips up a bit. Giving his hand another tug, we began our ascent up the stairs.

"Come on. Let's get you home," I said, my smile fading as our feet hit the stairs.

* * *

A/N: Okay, so I hope that was all right. It wasn't at all where I planned on taking this chapter, but the words just kept coming, and I couldn't help it. Plus, you all got to see some more Bella/Edward interaction, and I tried to throw some comedy in there.

As always, please review. It makes my day. Seriously, I love each and every one of them.

Love you all.


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